NDUNA MPUNZI SHOCKS WORCESTER WITH SEXUAL OFFENSES AND STRANGE BEHAVIOR

In April 2008, a disturbing case unfolded involving Reverend Nduna Mpunzi, a vicar based in Worcester, who was involved in serious criminal conduct that shocked the local community and the wider church. The court proceedings revealed a complex and troubling picture of a man who, despite his religious role, committed acts of sexual assault and exhibited increasingly erratic behavior.

Reverend Mpunzi, aged 61 at the time, was accused of multiple offenses, including assaulting his wife and indecently touching a teenage girl. The court heard that he had spent eight months in custody on remand before being released, and the judge, Alistair McCreath, faced a difficult decision regarding his sentencing. The judge acknowledged that the punishment might seem 'ludicrous' to the public, given the severity of the offenses, which included two counts of common assault and one of indecent assault, committed over a span of several years from May 2002 to the previous year.

Judge McCreath stated that, in his view, the offenses warranted a 16-month prison sentence. However, he opted for a different approach, ordering Mpunzi to participate in a sex offenders' rehabilitation program and imposing a three-year community order. Additionally, Mpunzi was required to register as a sex offender for seven years, a measure intended to monitor and manage his behavior moving forward.

During the court hearing, it was revealed that Mpunzi's conduct had become increasingly bizarre leading up to the incidents. Witnesses described him as acting 'like a timebomb waiting to explode,' with signs of mental distress. His family members, present in the public gallery, listened as prosecutor Abigail Nixon detailed the charges, which included groping a 16-year-old girl, assaulting his wife Julie Highway by violently pushing her, and physically assaulting a 15-year-old girl.

Details of his personal history indicated that Mpunzi had previously worked in Walsall before relocating to Worcester, where he served as the vicar of St Barnabas with Christ Church in Tolladine. His marriage had been troubled, and he was known for imposing strict rules on his family, such as turning off the electricity and restricting social visits for his children. His wife, concerned about his increasingly strange behavior, sought help from his team vicar and the rural dean, even writing several letters to the bishop. She described him as 'like a timebomb waiting to explode.'

According to his defense lawyer, Owen Davies QC, Mpunzi’s wife had expressed concerns to the bishop about his mental state, but he refused help, believing he could cure himself through prayer. Davies explained that Mpunzi, who emigrated from South Africa in 1978, was once a well-liked parish priest. However, his life had been marred by a serious head injury inflicted by his wife’s previous partner, which contributed to his mental health issues. Despite the allegations, there was no evidence suggesting he posed a threat to other young girls, and the offenses were considered isolated incidents.

Following the court case, Mpunzi was suspended from his clerical duties in August of the same year. The Worcester diocese expressed shock at his behavior and emphasized that he had failed to uphold the high standards expected of clergy. A diocesan spokeswoman, Anni Holden, confirmed that Mpunzi would face a clergy disciplinary hearing to determine his future within the church. The case highlighted the challenges faced by the church community in dealing with such serious allegations and the importance of safeguarding standards in religious institutions.