Bishop of Sheffield apologises to 'sadistic' vicar's abuse victim

The Rt Revd Dr Pete Wilcox (pictured) said Alflatt's behaviour was "a matter of deep shame" for the Church of England

The Bishop of Sheffield has apologised "unreservedly" to a woman who was subjected to nearly a decade of physical abuse by a "sadistic" vicar.

The victim, who cannot be named, was repeatedly beaten with a bamboo cane by Hilary Alflatt between 1983 and 1992.

The Rt Revd Dr Pete Wilcox said Alflatt's behaviour was "a matter of deep shame" for the Church of England.

Alflatt, 87, was deemed unfit to take part in a trial, but a jury ruled he had committed actual bodily harm.

During his trial, which concluded on Monday, jurors heard much of the abuse happened at Alflatt's vicarage in Sheffield.

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Hull Crown Court was told his behaviour was raised with the then Bishop of Sheffield, John Nicholls, who said when he confronted Alflatt about the claims in 1998 he did not deny the allegations and Alflatt retired with immediate effect.

Prosecutor Louise Reevells said: "I am afraid the Church of England just swept it under the carpet and did not want a scandal."

However she said a recent "clean-up operation" by the Church had led to the new investigation.

'Grievous breach of trust'

Following Alflatt's trial, Dr Wilcox said: "It is a matter of deep shame that a former priest in the Church of England, serving in this Diocese of Sheffield, has been found by a jury to have committed an offence of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in a pattern of abuse which lasted a decade.

"There are no excuses whatsoever for what took place and it is a cause of great regret to us that the matter has only now come to court."

Clerical abuse was a "grievous breach of trust, which almost always, as in this case, causes life-long harm", Dr Wilcox added.

"I wish to apologise unreservedly to the survivor of this abuse for what she suffered and to pay tribute to her bravery in coming forward to seek justice," he said.

"We have worked closely with the police and statutory authorities throughout this process and we continue to urge anyone distressed by this news to contact [e-mail]."

In her closing speech, Ms Reevells told jurors Alflatt was "a sadistic man in a position of authority who took pleasure in hurting [his victim]".

Judge Sophie McKone is expected to decide how to deal with Alflatt, of Harewood Lane, Northallerton, at a hearing on 3 May.

Her options are to give an absolute discharge, make a guardianship order or a hospital order as Alflatt cannot be given a criminal sentence as he was unfit to take part in his trial.