Vicar facing trial for ‘assaulting her ex-girlfriend’
a FeMaLe vicar who shocked parishioners with her tangled love life is facing trial over claims she assaulted an ex-girlfriend.
The reverend Michelle Bailey, who left her husband for a woman after accusing her flock of ruining the marriage, allegedly attacked Diane Shore, 57, in May last year.
Divorcee and mother-of-three Bailey, 53, is accused of assault by beating and criminal damage by allegedly smashing a £353 pair of glasses at Miss Shore’s bungalow in Stoke-on-Trent.
The vicar, who denies any wrongdoing, claiming self-defence, has been suspended from giving sermons in the Welsh parish where she now works. She has been receiving her £40,000-a-year salary for more than 12 months while awaiting trial.
in 2009, Bailey was vicar of all angels in Stewkley, Buckinghamshire and married to Michael Morton when she stunned parishioners during a sermon at her norman church.
The vicar claimed their gossip had forced her to move out of the vicarage and leave her husband.
She declared ‘hurtful angry words have destroyed my marriage’, said the congregation contained a ‘nest of vipers’ and their ‘poisonous’ rumours about her friendship with cattle breeder Michele Wilde had been the problem. She then promptly moved in with her and later resigned from the church of england.
in a further twist, Mrs Wilde later set up home with the vicar’s exhusband, Mr Morton. Bailey resumed her clerical career in 2016 with the anglican church in Wales – in which, unlike in the church of england, clergy are allowed to take same-sex partners. The church in Wales confirmed Bailey has been suspended from her parish in the Benefice of Dan Yr epynt, Brecon until the trial is over. She has also been forced to step down from her role as officer for rural events in the diocese of Swansea and Brecon. a spokesman for the church in Wales said: ‘i’m afraid all i can tell you is that she is suspended at the moment. clearly there’s a police investigation.’ Bailey lived in the vicarage in Brecon, and entertained Miss Shore there, until her suspension.
She has since been travelling the country in a campervan, north Staffordshire magistrates’s court heard last week.
a trial was due to take place but has now been delayed until March after Bailey’s barrister said he had to step away from the case when the vicar submitted new evidence he had not had time to discuss with her. it was the fourth delay to the case, with hearings in april, May and august also adjourned.
On those occasions Bailey said she was unable to travel after a frightening phone call, had sacked her solicitor, and believed she was suffering from covid.
Prosecutor Jacqueline coleyFisher complained to the bench that alleged victim Miss Shore had waited hours in court for nothing for a second time.
‘Congregation a nest of vipers’