VICAR SEXUALLY ABUSED CHILD WITH THE WOMAN HE WAS HAVING AFFAIR WITH
A disturbing case of child sexual abuse has emerged from Cheshire, involving a recently convicted vicar and a woman with whom he was engaged in an illicit affair.Stephen Clapham, aged 61, who served as a vicar at All Saints Church in Crewe and later in Church Lawton, was found guilty of heinous crimes committed against a vulnerable child.
His accomplice and lover, Sally Shaw, aged 52, also from Crewe, played a significant role in the abuse.
According to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Clapham and Shaw embarked on their inappropriate relationship back in 2016.
At that time, Clapham was serving as the vicar at All Saints Church in Crewe.
The affair persisted even after he transferred his clerical duties to All Saints in Church Lawton.
During this period, the pair engaged in sexual acts in the presence of the child, and shockingly, they also encouraged the young victim to participate in their sexual activity.
This conduct not only involved physical abuse but also extended to the creation and distribution of indecent photographs of the child, which Shaw took and then shared with Clapham.
The abuse came to light when the victim disclosed details of their ordeal to school staff, sparking an official investigation that eventually led to the arrest of both Clapham and Shaw in 2021.
During police interviews, Clapham largely refused to comment outside of mentioning the existence of indecent photographs, showing a lack of remorse.
In contrast, Shaw admitted her involvement fully, providing detailed confessions about her role in the abuse.
Both individuals pleaded guilty to the charges against them.
Their sentencing took place on April 20, where they each received a prison sentence of four years.
In addition to their custodial sentences, both Clapham and Shaw will remain on the sex offenders register for the rest of their lives, reflecting the gravity of their crimes.
