Minister denies two assaults
Churchman in court over wife and child claims
Stephen Houston & Edwin Lawrence A respected churchman has been arrested for allegedly attacking his wife and a child.
Parishioners at the powerful St Columba Church in Ayr said they “cannot believe” what has happened to Graeme Parkhill.
Mr Parkhill has been the highly- rated Assistant Minister at the church for nearly two years.
He has now been suspended from duties while the criminal procedure continues.
On Sunday, the St Columba Session Clerk Bob Bartholomew announced the shock news of his court appearance to his congregation.
Mr Parkhill appeared at Ayr Sheriff Court from custody last Monday.
All allegations of domestic abuse mean time in police cells before the next available custody court hearing.
He has denied two charges and will face a trial next month.
Both incidents allegedly happened at the family home in Chalmers Road in Ayr.
He has now been bailed to an address in Methill Road, Port Glasgow.
He was charged that on May 26 at the house in Chalmers Road he assaulted his wife Wendy by pushing her on the body, causing her to fall against a door to her injury.
Mr Parkhill is also accused of seizing a child by the head, repeatedly punching him on the head, dragging him by the head and body, forcing him down onto a sofa and holding him there to his injury.
Church minister Rev Fraser Aitken would not comment and said all inquiries were to be made to the Church of Scotland press office in Edinburgh.
One stunned member of the congregation said: “Nobody can quite take this in – Graeme is a wonderful man.
“This is a great church, and one I would say is the biggest in Ayr, drawing congregation from across the area.
“I felt Graeme was very much being groomed to take over from Fraser Aitken when he retires.
“I feel very sad at the situation and hope it is resolved.”
Mr Parkhill began his duties as an assistant minister of Ayr St Columba in August of 2015. He and wife Wendy had previously been Salvation Army captains in Ayr.
They fulfilled those roles for seven years between 2005 until 2012.
And a special celebration was held at the army’s Ayr Community Chuch in John Street, in June of 2012.
This was to mark both the completion of seven years of faithful service and the family’s farewell from Ayr.
Mr Parkhill signed off by raising thousands of pounds for the church in a cycle marathon from John o’ Groats to Ayr.
There was a lunch for over 100 people, thanking the couple for their service.
Then there was an evening service, attended by 200, for the wider community.
At the service, Rev Liz Crumlish of Castlehill Church, paid tribute to ‘ a couple who demonstrated Christian love and values in all they did’.
Iris Richardson, deputy head at Forehill Primary, expressed the thanks of a school where Wendy helped with the Scripture Union, led the choir, and along with Graeme, undertook assemblies and counselling during tragic events.
Rev Fraser Aitken of Ayr St Columba spoke in moving and humorous terms about Graeme and Wendy, bearing witness to Graeme’s Christian demeanour in all he did.
Mr Parkhill was later to join Mr Aitken at St Columba, and the pair last month attended the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
This week a spokesman for the Church of Scotland said: “Graeme Parkhill was suspended from his employment with Ayr St Columba’s Church of Scotland when charges were brought against him.
“He will remain suspended pending the outcome of the court case.”