STEPHEN CRABTREE'S SHAME: BRADFORD PRIEST JAILED FOR SEXUAL OFFENSES IN LINCOLNSHIRE
In a case that has sent shockwaves through the community, Stephen Crabtree, a former Church of England priest residing in Bradford, has been sentenced to three years in prison for a series of indecent assaults committed against a 15-year-old girl during the early 1990s.The offences took place while Crabtree was serving at a parish in the East Lindsey area of Lincolnshire, a period marked by troubling misconduct that only came to light decades later.
Crabtree, now 59 years old and living on Ollerdale Avenue in Bradford, admitted to six counts of indecent assault that occurred between April 1992 and April 1993.
The charges detailed a disturbing pattern of inappropriate behavior, including intimate touching, kissing, cuddling, and even simulating sexual acts with the young girl.
The victim, who was only 15 at the time, later recounted that Crabtree had told her she looked more like she was 22 than her actual age, a comment that underscored the manipulative nature of his conduct.
The court heard that Crabtree’s relationship with the girl developed behind her parents’ backs, breaching both familial trust and the moral expectations of his religious role.
The victim expressed her fears that Crabtree would want to engage in full sexual activity once she turned 16, which prompted her to end the relationship.
She also confided in the then Bishop of Grimsby, who advised her to report the matter to the police.
Despite her initial decision not to pursue legal action, she later disclosed the abuse to police officers in her area.
Crabtree’s misconduct was further confirmed when he admitted to the offences to the Bishop on two separate occasions.
However, it was only in 2015, after the Church conducted a review of past complaints, that the case was handed over to law enforcement authorities, leading to his arrest.
The revelations about his actions have cast a long shadow over his reputation and career.
During the sentencing hearing at Lincoln Crown Court, Judge Michael Heath emphasized the gravity of Crabtree’s actions.
He stated, “She was extremely vulnerable at that age and you took advantage.
You knew she was 15 years old.
You engaged in that relationship behind her parents’ back, breaching their trust and the trust of the Church.
You stand before me in disgrace, and you have lost your employment.” The judge further condemned Crabtree’s conduct, asserting that the offences were so serious that only immediate custody was justified.
Prosecutor Mark Knowles highlighted that Crabtree was in his late 30s when the offences occurred, and the victim was only 15.
The victim’s account detailed that Crabtree had engaged in intimate touching and had simulated sex with her, actions that she found deeply disturbing.
She eventually ended the relationship out of fear that Crabtree would want full sexual intercourse once she reached her 16th birthday.
Crabtree’s defense attorney, Sunil Khanna, attempted to provide some context for his client’s troubled state, revealing that Crabtree’s life had unraveled in 1992 after his wife disappeared, leaving him devastated.
His wife had told him she was visiting her sister in Huddersfield but later was found to have emptied his bank account and moved to the United States.
Khanna described Crabtree as being in a dark place, suffering from depression and unhappiness, and seeking pastoral help from the Church, which he claimed was unhelpful at the time.
He also noted that Crabtree had remarried 18 months prior to the sentencing; his new wife is also a minister and resides in West Yorkshire.
The defense argued that Crabtree had attempted to relocate from Lincolnshire to West Yorkshire and was actively seeking new employment when the allegations surfaced, only to be thwarted by the investigation.
In a related development, Crabtree, who previously served as the rector of Washingborough and Heighington until 2014, had pleaded guilty to the charges in March 2016.
During that hearing, Judge Simon Hirst warned him that he faced jail time and adjourned the case for a pre-sentence report, making it clear that custody was a real possibility.
Crabtree, who also served in Mareham le Fen, was granted unconditional bail and was awaiting sentencing at that time.
This case underscores the serious breach of trust and the lasting impact of abuse committed by someone in a position of moral authority.
The community and the Church continue to grapple with the revelations of past misconduct, and Crabtree’s imprisonment marks a significant step in addressing these grave offenses.
