Anthony Pierce: Former bishop closed for the historical abuse of children

A former bishop was closed for historical abuses of children.

Anthony Pierce, the former bishop of Swansea and Brecon, was imprisoned for four years and a month on Wednesday.

The 84 -year -old has previously pleaded guilty for five indescent attack charges on a male under 16 years old.

Swansea Crown Court has heard that abuse took place when Pierce was working as a vicar in the city, a few years before becoming the bishop of the Diocese Swansea and Brecon in 1999.

The victim, who cannot be appointed for legal reasons, was 14 years old at that time.

The power of attorney, Dean Pulaling said that the defendant was “reliable to take care and take care” for the victim.

He said that the victim felt “acute embarrassment and feeling of shame.”

“He was also worried about what his parents would think if they ever went out and how they would react,” Mr. Pulaling added.

The court heard that the defendant “denied any responsibility” during his police interview and claimed that he has no sexual attraction to children. “

In the mitigation, Heath Edwards said that the defendant “deeply regrets the behavior in which it was involved.”

“Feeling of relief”

In a statement he read in court, the victim said he felt a “overwhelming feeling of embarrassment and ashamed that (he) allowed him to happen.”

“I have a very low self -esteem and self -value. I have no friends and I know people only at the superficial level. All my adult relationships were dysfunctional,” he added.

The victim said he became “alcohol addict” after abuse, which “destroyed” his post-school education, career and some personal relationships.

He also emphasized the impact he had abuse of his family, saying he feels “caught at the age of 13 or 14”.

“I strive to refer to my parents, because I still feel the emotional age when the abuse happened,” he added.

“I have lived my life I don’t think I will ever reveal anyone’s abuse.”

But after revealing it, the victim said he felt “a overwhelming feeling” and “felt empowering.”

“Leave down and betray”

The conviction, Judge Catherine Richards told the court that the defendant “began to surprise me in a way that is unfortunately familiar with this court.”

“You have progressed to sexual abuse in the ways described by criminal prosecution,” she said.

The judge continued to say that there will be people in the wider community who felt “left down and betrayed that a man in your position can behave in such a hypocritical way.”

She said that the defendant emphasized the impact of abuse of “eloquent and realistic” in the personal statement of the victim and that he continued to “have to deal with the devastating impact of your abuse.”

“There is only one person who should have ashamed for what has happened, and that’s you,” she added.

A spokesman for the church in Wales said he was “terrified of the offenses that were revealed in this case and expresses the deepest sympathy with the victim for the abuse they suffered.”

“It is a cause of shame the deepest that a priest in the church in Wales should have been convicted for such shocking crimes,” they added.

“Our prayers are with the survivor and with all the victims of abuses, whose well -being must always be at the center of our work.”