RICHARD HART, FORMER POWYS VICAR, SENTENCED TO 14 MONTHS IN PRISON IN MERTHYR FOR SEXUAL ABUSE IN POWYS

In June 2010, Richard Hart, a 60-year-old former vicar from Beguildy in Powys, was sentenced to 14 months in prison at Merthyr Crown Court following a conviction related to a two-year period of sexual abuse against a schoolgirl. Hart pleaded guilty to eight counts of indecent assault, which involved the girl when she was between nine and eleven years old.

Prior to this conviction, Hart was already imprisoned for possessing more than 56,000 images of child pornography and was scheduled for release that month. Prosecutor Ieuan Morris emphasized, “What made these offences worse was his position as an ordained priest and vicar of the Church in Wales. This case represents another aspect of his previous offending in relation to children. He has already pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images of children. He collected and stockpiled an abundance of indecent photographs for his own gratification.”

Mr. Morris described the scale of Hart’s illegal collection: “The 56,000 images frankly defy comprehension. He had a deep-seated and prurient interest in children and a fixation with stories of fantasies.” Hart also admitted one charge of gross indecency, in which he encouraged the girl to touch him.

Although he denied five other charges related to the girl, he chose not to face trial on those counts. Defense lawyer John Ryan noted that Hart had two autistic sons who required significant attention. The judge, Peter Haywood, commented, “These offences came to light after an extremely frank admission from you.”

Hart and his wife were regarded as respected members of the Beguildy community; Hart served as chairman of the governors at the local primary school. However, it was revealed that Hart had been collecting paedophile images “like a magpie” over more than 17 years in the village vicarage. His wife confirmed that she was aware of his collection, stating to police, “We occasionally looked at images of teenage girls, sometimes leading to sexual intercourse.”

His crimes led to him being stripped of his duties within the Church in Wales. Previously, in September 2008, Hart, then aged 59, had been sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court to three and a half years in prison for similar offences involving almost 57,000 indecent images of children, which he had collected over 17 years in the same village vicarage.

The court heard that his wife, Julie, also 41, a mother of five, was aware of the presence of the images. She told police, “It wasn’t anyone else’s business if parents were happy to have their children on the internet in this manner.” Their five children, aged five to seventeen, were placed into foster care following Hart’s arrest.

Judge Michael Burr condemned Hart’s actions: “Some of the images were taken by you of very young girls entrusted to your care in your capacity as the local vicar. The girls were very young and entirely unaware of your sexual interest in them. Now that they are adults, they are utterly appalled at the breach of trust.”

As part of his sentence, Hart was ordered to register as a sex offender, was disqualified from working with children, and placed under a 10-year sexual offences prevention order. Since his arrest in 2008, he has been suspended from his duties with the Church in Wales.