Minister cleared of abusing one of seven

A CHURCH minister accused of sexually abusing members of his congregation during private sessions to “rid them of evil spirits” has been cleared of raping and indecently assaulting one of the female complainants.

Judge David Hatton QC yesterday directed the jury at Bradford Crown Court to return not guilty verdicts on two rape allegations and five further charges of indecent assault involving the same woman, but Pastor John Wilson, 70, remains on trial accused of abusing six other female complainants.

The woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, claimed that she had “a flashback” of herself lying on the floor like a rag doll with Pastor Wilson moving on top of her.

Judge Hatton explained to the jury that at the close of the prosecution case he had a duty to stop the case in relation to particular charges if he concluded the evidence was such that a defendant could not be properly or safely convicted. “In relation to both of those assessments that I am dutybound to make I have come to the conclusion that such is the case in relation to all seven counts in relation to (the complainant),” he told the jury.

In explaining his decision Judge Hatton said the complainant’s recollections in her police interview were “in large measure vague and non-specific” with many details she was unable to recall.

The judge noted that the woman had herself said she had “a vivid imagination” and sometimes interchanged what was real with what was not.

Wilson, of Shann Avenue, Keighley, remains on trial accused of a series of indecent assault allegations involving six other female complainants.