CARDIFF CLERGYMAN JAILED FOR CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE
A priest who served as the most senior Church in Wales clergyman in Cardiff has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for multiple charges of sexual abuse against two young boys.Canon Lawrence Davies was found guilty of 12 charges of sexual assault and serious sexual assault after a three-week trial at Cardiff Crown Court.
During the hearing, Judge Christopher Llewellyn QC stated: "It is perhaps difficult to imagine a graver breach of trust than for a priest to sexually abuse two young members of his flock.
This type of behaviour just cannot be tolerated in a civilised society.
You have not shown the slightest remorse.
It is a very sad task for a judge to have to sentence a man who on the one hand has devoted much of his life to the welfare of his parishioners.
On the other hand, there was a darker side to your life and two young boys were corrupted by you for your own sexual satisfaction." Davies, who had denied the charges, was also ordered to register as a sex offender upon release and was recommended to serve at least half of his sentence before being eligible for parole.
He will never serve as an Anglican priest again and faces a disciplinary hearing within the Church in Wales that may lead to his defrocking.
The victim, now unable to be named, expressed mixed feelings, stating, "I feel that righteous justice has been served - I don't hate him - I feel sorry for him, but I am glad he can't do this to anyone else." The court heard that the abuse began after Davies was appointed to his position in the early 1970s, and that his victims later became priests.
Davies admitted to watching porn videos and lying to police about having a girlfriend to hide his sexuality.
The trial also cleared him of one charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
The Bishop of Llandaff, Dr Barry Morgan, apologized for the prolonged abuse and said it was "an awful case." Reportedly, Davies will be behind bars for the sentence, and the church hopes he will be kept from harming others.
The case shocked the community, with some parishioners unable to believe the guilty verdict, describing him as a dedicated parish priest, unaware of his darker side.
The court's harsh sentencing reflects the severity of his breaches of trust and the harm inflicted on the victims.
