VINCENT WHELAN FROM WIRRAL AND WYTHENSHAWE JAILED FOR GROOMING AND SEXUAL ABUSE OF TEENAGE GIRL

In a disturbing case that has shocked the local communities of Wythenshawe and Wirral, Vincent Whelan, a 71-year-old former Catholic priest, has been sentenced to prison for his heinous crimes involving a teenage girl. The offences took place during the 1980s when Whelan was serving at St Peter’s Catholic Church in Wythenshawe, a suburb of Manchester, and involved the exploitation of a girl who was under the age of 16.

Whelan, who now resides in Wirral, Merseyside, was only 41 years old at the time he began grooming the vulnerable teenager. His initial approach involved befriending her family, which allowed him to establish a position of trust and influence over the young girl. Over time, he used manipulative tactics, including offering her alcohol and showering her with compliments about her appearance, all designed to lower her defenses and make her more receptive to his advances.

The court proceedings revealed that Whelan’s grooming process was subtle at first but gradually became more sinister. The victim, who bravely testified during the trial, recounted how Whelan’s inappropriate behaviour persisted over the course of a year. On one particularly disturbing occasion, Whelan ambushed the girl and forcibly engaged in sexual contact, including kissing her on the lips. The victim described the incident as a traumatic experience, recalling how she felt horror and shock at the time, with her teeth clattering in fear.

Throughout the court case, it was also revealed that Whelan had convinced the girl not to disclose the abuse, falsely claiming that he would lose his job if anyone found out about his actions. This manipulation effectively silenced her for decades, until she finally reported the abuse to police in 2017, nearly thirty years after the incidents occurred.

Judge Patrick Field QC condemned Whelan’s behaviour as a gross breach of trust and an unacceptable abuse of his position as a parish priest. In his sentencing remarks, the judge emphasized the severity of the offences, stating, “These offences were committed against a [teenage] victim. A child. Whilst a parish priest, you ambushed her and forced yourself upon her, kissing her on the mouth. She recalled your teeth clattering with hers and the horror she experienced at the time. I have no doubt this was a shocking experience for a young child and this will have been seated upon her memory.”

The judge further highlighted that Whelan’s good character had initially allowed him access to the victim’s life, which he exploited for his own malicious purposes. Concluding his remarks, Judge Field stated that Whelan’s actions could only be justified by an immediate deprivation of his liberty, leading to his sentencing of nine months in prison. Whelan, of Overchurch Road, Wirral, will serve half of his sentence in custody before being eligible for parole, marking a significant moment of justice for the victim and the community.