Wife of rapist claims husband is innocent

A COVENTRY man who posed as a born-again Christian healer to cover up his grim past as a child rapist is “innocent”, his wife maintains.

To friends and neighbours, Peter Harvey, 58, was a deeply spiritual man, putting his healing hands on others and offering to bless people’s homes. But he carried a sinister secret – he had raped and abused a schoolchild for eight years.

Harvey, from Coventry, is now beginning a 20-year jail term after being convicted by a jury over the sex attacks.

But his wife Barbara Ann MunceyHarvey, refused to accept the verdicts insisting her husband was innocent.

Mrs Ann Muncey-Harvey, 66, spoke of her torment as she recalled how the retired HGV driver was stopped by police at the airport as they went to go on their honeymoon in 2014 and later arrested.

She said: “A lot of people won’t talk to me. I can’t eat, I can’t sleep. No-one comes to see me. I feel shunned.

“I barely go out since this has happened. I don’t know what’s going on. A lot of people won’t talk to me. I can’t eat, I can’t sleep. No-one comes to see me. I feel shunned. I don’t believe any of it. He rings me for two minutes each night from prison.”

Harvey moved north to Preston to begin a new life with Mrs MunceyHarvey after committing ten offences between April 2000 to July 2008.

But his past caught up with him when police in the West Midlands launched a probe.

Mrs Muncey-Harvey said she met Harvey through his brother and mutual friends in 2008 when they used to come up from Coventry for weekends with friends.

The pair trained to do ‘reiki’ healing together and she says they have held healing sessions at their home for friends

She says: “I inspired him to become a born-again Christian. He’s been my rock.”

They married at a Preston Methodist Church in September 2013 and planned a late honeymoon cruise in the January.

She said: “They picked him up at the airport and I had to travel on my own, which is difficult as I am disabled. He flew out the next day. He’s still trying to get his head round it. I’m sure I’m being accused by people of hiding away, but I just can’t get out. I knew nothing about these allegations and I don’t believe them.”

But after a 10-day trial, jurors at Warwick Crown Court did believe them.

Harvey was found guilty of 10 charges – four rapes, three indecent assaults, two sexual assaults and inciting a child to commit sexual activity.

A judge jailed him for a total of 20 years with an extended licence.

Harvey was netted by West Midlands Police’s new Historical Sex Offences Team. His was among almost 300 cases dealt with in its first year − and secured justice for some survivors who suffered abuse up to 50 years ago.

A police spokesman said: “West Midlands Police has a dedicated Historic Abuse Team and we urge anyone who has been a victim of abuse to get in touch.”