ROBERT COLES: CHICHESTER AND EASTBOURNE PRIEST SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES
| Red Rose Database
Chichester Eastbourne Sexual Abuser
In a series of disturbing revelations, retired priest Robert Coles, who has connections to both Chichester and Eastbourne, has been sentenced to a total of twenty-four months in prison following his admission to multiple child sex offences. The latest sentencing comes after a lengthy and complex investigation into allegations spanning several decades, involving victims from different parts of the south of England.
Coles, aged 74 and residing on Upperton Road in Eastbourne, was already serving an eight-year sentence for a series of similar offences committed against three young boys in West Sussex between 1978 and 1984. His current sentence, which is to run consecutively to his previous term, was handed down after he pleaded guilty at Hove Crown Court to eight counts of indecent assault against a boy aged between 11 and 15, with the offences occurring between 1974 and 1977. These incidents took place at a vicarage located on Foredown Drive in Portslade, where Coles had previously lived and worked during his time as a Church of England priest.
Coles’s earlier convictions, which resulted in an eight-year imprisonment sentence handed down at Brighton Crown Court on February 14, 2013, involved a total of eleven offences. These included one count of buggery, four counts of indecent assault against a boy aged 15 to 16 in Chichester, and additional indecent assaults against two other boys aged 10 at the time, in West Sussex and elsewhere. The offences spanned from 1978 to 1984, with some of the victims being from locations outside Sussex, including Devon, Cornwall, and the Isle of Wight.
The recent allegations emerged after a victim, now in his early fifties, came forward following media coverage of Coles’s previous case. This individual, who did not reside in Sussex, had visited Coles’s vicarage with family members and stayed overnight, during which the abuse occurred. Detective Inspector Jez Prior commented on the case, emphasizing the importance of perseverance in bringing justice. He stated, “Coles’s first conviction and sentencing two years ago was the culmination of a long and complex investigation, following information we received from the Diocese of Chichester, who have given their full cooperation throughout both cases. We were glad to be able to achieve justice for those three victims.”
He further praised the courage of victims who, regardless of how much time has passed, come forward to report abuse and face the legal process. “We admire the resilience of those who summon the strength to disclose what happened to them, even decades later, and to be prepared to give evidence in court,” DI Prior added. “We will always take such reports seriously and investigate thoroughly, recommending prosecution whenever the circumstances warrant it.”
In the 2013 trial, Coles pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including offences committed in Chichester and other locations, involving boys aged between 10 and 16. The offences included acts of buggery and indecent assaults, with some charges being ordered to lie on file after prosecutors decided not to proceed with them following further consideration and discussions with victims. The court heard that the offences took place across various locations, including Devon, Cornwall, West Sussex, and the Isle of Wight, during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Judge Anthony sentenced Coles to a total of eight years for the remaining charges, with specific sentences of five years for buggery and two-and-a-half years for each of the four indecent assaults against the same victim, all to run concurrently. Additional sentences of 18 months each were imposed for indecent assaults against two other victims, with these sentences to run consecutively to the sentences for the first victim. Furthermore, Coles was subjected to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO), which prohibits him from any contact with the victims, from unsupervised contact with boys under 16, and from seeking employment or voluntary work involving children under 16. He is also required to register as a sex offender for life upon his release from prison.
Coles’s arrest occurred on March 6 of the previous year, following a six-month investigation by Sussex Police detectives. He was formally charged in August by the South East Complex Case Unit of the Crown Prosecution Service, marking a significant step in addressing the long-standing allegations against him. The case underscores the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to bring justice to victims of child abuse, regardless of how much time has elapsed since the offences occurred.
Coles, aged 74 and residing on Upperton Road in Eastbourne, was already serving an eight-year sentence for a series of similar offences committed against three young boys in West Sussex between 1978 and 1984. His current sentence, which is to run consecutively to his previous term, was handed down after he pleaded guilty at Hove Crown Court to eight counts of indecent assault against a boy aged between 11 and 15, with the offences occurring between 1974 and 1977. These incidents took place at a vicarage located on Foredown Drive in Portslade, where Coles had previously lived and worked during his time as a Church of England priest.
Coles’s earlier convictions, which resulted in an eight-year imprisonment sentence handed down at Brighton Crown Court on February 14, 2013, involved a total of eleven offences. These included one count of buggery, four counts of indecent assault against a boy aged 15 to 16 in Chichester, and additional indecent assaults against two other boys aged 10 at the time, in West Sussex and elsewhere. The offences spanned from 1978 to 1984, with some of the victims being from locations outside Sussex, including Devon, Cornwall, and the Isle of Wight.
The recent allegations emerged after a victim, now in his early fifties, came forward following media coverage of Coles’s previous case. This individual, who did not reside in Sussex, had visited Coles’s vicarage with family members and stayed overnight, during which the abuse occurred. Detective Inspector Jez Prior commented on the case, emphasizing the importance of perseverance in bringing justice. He stated, “Coles’s first conviction and sentencing two years ago was the culmination of a long and complex investigation, following information we received from the Diocese of Chichester, who have given their full cooperation throughout both cases. We were glad to be able to achieve justice for those three victims.”
He further praised the courage of victims who, regardless of how much time has passed, come forward to report abuse and face the legal process. “We admire the resilience of those who summon the strength to disclose what happened to them, even decades later, and to be prepared to give evidence in court,” DI Prior added. “We will always take such reports seriously and investigate thoroughly, recommending prosecution whenever the circumstances warrant it.”
In the 2013 trial, Coles pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including offences committed in Chichester and other locations, involving boys aged between 10 and 16. The offences included acts of buggery and indecent assaults, with some charges being ordered to lie on file after prosecutors decided not to proceed with them following further consideration and discussions with victims. The court heard that the offences took place across various locations, including Devon, Cornwall, West Sussex, and the Isle of Wight, during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Judge Anthony sentenced Coles to a total of eight years for the remaining charges, with specific sentences of five years for buggery and two-and-a-half years for each of the four indecent assaults against the same victim, all to run concurrently. Additional sentences of 18 months each were imposed for indecent assaults against two other victims, with these sentences to run consecutively to the sentences for the first victim. Furthermore, Coles was subjected to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO), which prohibits him from any contact with the victims, from unsupervised contact with boys under 16, and from seeking employment or voluntary work involving children under 16. He is also required to register as a sex offender for life upon his release from prison.
Coles’s arrest occurred on March 6 of the previous year, following a six-month investigation by Sussex Police detectives. He was formally charged in August by the South East Complex Case Unit of the Crown Prosecution Service, marking a significant step in addressing the long-standing allegations against him. The case underscores the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to bring justice to victims of child abuse, regardless of how much time has elapsed since the offences occurred.