Priest asked at-risk female ‘to have a treat with Father Pete’

A PRIEST has been struck off for pestering a vulnerable churchgoer to “come and have a treat with Father Pete”.

The Rev Peter Lambert is said to have made the comment as he “took advantage” of the woman who has mental health issues and treated her to days out in what was deemed to be “inappropriate conduct”.

The Rev Lambert, who is married, allegedly showered the woman with gifts and took her and her children on day trips.

She said he used his “power” to take advantage of her.

After an investigation, the Rev Lambert admitted breaching the rules. He has been struck off from ministry in the Church of England for five years, meaning he cannot lead any church services. The woman, who is not named in the ruling, has received a written apology from the Bishop of Portsmouth.

The Rev Lambert, a self-supporting minister and a volunteer who led services across Gosport, struck up a friendship that led to an “intense” short-lived relationship with her last year, she said.

The woman said: “He made me and my kids feel so special.

“He bought us gifts and took us to the New Forest.

“He would tell me things like ‘I always thought a lot of you’ and ‘come and have a treat with Father Pete’.”

“I have anxiety and complex PTSD and he clearly saw my mental health was low … I feel he took advantage of me. He had been given power because of the job he does.”