CHESTER VICAR ROBERT PETERS JAILED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF FOUR SIBLINGS

In September 2017, Robert Peters, a vicar from Chester, was sentenced to two years in prison after confessing to sexually abusing four siblings over a span of several years. The victims, two girls and two boys aged between 8 and 14 at the time of the abuse, disclosed that Peters had assaulted them between ages 14 and 21 while he was babysitting or visiting their home in Wirral during the 1960s.

The victims expressed their disgust and anger upon learning that Peters, who had become a church minister and was at the time officiating at their father's funeral, had been their abuser. They told Liverpool Crown Court how seeing him conduct the service was deeply upsetting.

Peters, 62, of Plas Newton Lane in Chester, pleaded guilty to 12 counts of indecent assault, with each count representing multiple incidents. The offences only came to light after one male victim experienced an emotional breakdown, which was linked to the ongoing media coverage of high-profile sex abuse cases, including that of Jimmy Savile.

During sentencing, prosecutor Ben Jones explained that Peters claimed the abuse was due to 'youthful curiosity,' but Judge Alan Conrad QC rejected this explanation, stating that the conduct 'spanned a considerable period of time and represented a course of conduct.' The judge also noted, however, that Peters' sentence was reduced because of 'powerful mitigation,' including his age and the fact that he had previously led a life of good works within the church.

Addressing Peters directly, the judge stated, 'At the age of 62 your life is in ruins. You have no previous convictions and for the past 40 years you have followed your calling within the church doing good works for the benefit of others.'

The siblings' victim impact statements described the lasting harm caused by Peters' actions. One of them remarked, 'When he turned up to take the service at my dad’s funeral, I felt sick.'

As part of his sentence, Peters was ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years. He has previously served as a minister in other churches within the Chester diocese and also at Throop parish in Bournemouth.