SIMON MARSH OF STOCKPORT STRIPPED OF CLERGY STATUS AFTER ABUSING TEENAGE GIRL IN BRAMHALL

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Stockport and the surrounding area, Simon Marsh, a married vicar serving at St Michael and All Angels Church in Bramhall, has been found guilty of serious misconduct involving a vulnerable teenage girl. The disciplinary tribunal, convened by the Diocese of Chester, delivered a comprehensive and damning verdict that has led to Marsh's permanent removal from his clerical duties and a lifetime ban from exercising any ministerial functions within the Church of England.

According to the tribunal's detailed findings, Marsh, aged 59 at the time, engaged in a pattern of manipulative and coercive behavior that spanned over four years. The tribunal revealed that Marsh exploited his position of trust to foster an inappropriate relationship with a girl who was under the age of 16 when they first met in 2009. The girl, described as seeking emotional and parental support due to an 'unhappy, dysfunctional family life,' initially turned to the church for solace and guidance. She found herself sharing her personal problems with Marsh, who was then her spiritual mentor, and he assisted her with her baptism and confirmation.

However, the relationship took a darker turn as Marsh began to deepen his involvement with her. The tribunal established that by 2010, Marsh had encouraged her to keep their meetings secret, sharing poems about love and sex, buying her presents, and expressing love for her. He also urged her to send him intimate messages via a private website, where he referred to himself as 'Gabriel,' meaning 'the messenger,' and addressed her as 'Raphael.'

Evidence presented during the hearing indicated that the relationship was not merely spiritual but had become sexual in nature, with a clear course of conduct spanning from January 2011 to 2013. The tribunal found that Marsh's infatuation with the girl grew increasingly intense, especially as she remained a minor during much of this period. The panel concluded that in April 2012, Marsh forced her to have sex, justifying it by claiming it would only happen once because 'God couldn’t approve of more.'

Further sexual encounters, the tribunal determined, occurred often against her will, with Marsh becoming increasingly controlling, aggressive, and coercive. These actions ultimately led the girl to end the relationship. Despite her attempts to distance herself, Marsh denied any misconduct during the proceedings, insisting that the allegations were false. The tribunal, however, found his denials to be in total denial of the facts, describing him as a 'deeply controlling man' who sought to justify his actions on various theological or paternal grounds, including claims that their relationship resembled that of a father and daughter or close friends.

The panel emphasized that much of the misconduct involved material events when the girl was still a minor and that Marsh's infatuation appeared to be increasingly obsessive. The tribunal's findings detailed how Marsh's behavior escalated to physical, emotional, and theological pressure, with the aim of compelling her to submit to his sexual demands. The tribunal's determination was based on evidence that proved beyond reasonable doubt that Marsh had engaged in a course of conduct that was both morally and legally reprehensible.

Following the hearing, the Bishop of Chester, the Rt Rev Dr Peter Forster, issued a formal apology, describing the case as 'a sad and inexcusable tale of the abuse of trust and power by a priest.' The tribunal's ruling explicitly states that Marsh's actions were a gross violation of his clerical duties and trust placed in him by the church and the community. The decision to remove him from office and prohibit him from exercising any ministerial functions is the most severe penalty available within the Anglican church's disciplinary framework.

While Marsh was previously arrested in 2014 on suspicion of rape and sexual assault, no charges were filed after the Crown Prosecution Service concluded there was insufficient evidence to proceed. Nonetheless, the civil standard of proof applied during the tribunal clearly established his guilt in this case. The findings and the tribunal's official ruling have been published on the Diocese of Chester's website, serving as a stark reminder of the importance of safeguarding and the devastating impact of abuse of power within religious institutions.