In 2019, the Offender Database recorded that Philip McBrien, then 59, a former Roman Catholic priest, was sentenced for the possession of child abuse imagery. On Wednesday, 29 May 2019, McBrien, of Rubys Walk, Fernwood, Newark, Nottinghamshire, appeared at Nottingham Crown Court, where he was placed on an 18-month probation order and added to the Sex Offenders Register for five years.
The investigation established that on 5 October 2017, police seized a haul of illicit material from a presbytery in Listowel Crescent, Nottingham, and the Holy Cross Presbytery, Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, where McBrien had previously lived. The collection included nine Category A images—the most serious classification—nine Category B images (including five videos), and 33 Category C images. Additionally, officers discovered 65 prohibited images of children. The victims were identified as teenage males aged between 12 and 17.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that McBrien had abused his position of trust within the Diocese of Nottingham. Nottingham Crown Court heard that the defendant, described by Judge John Burgess as a “gay man in a celibate profession,” had sought out the material to fulfil his “perverted” interests. The judge noted that the downloading of such images directly fuels the real-world abuse of children, stating that without individuals like McBrien, such “abhorrent” crimes would not persist.
The judge noted that while some might view McBrien as a “hypocrite” due to his former work, the legal process itself served as a permanent punishment, ensuring his “life will have changed forever.” For his actions in Hucknall and Nottingham, the defendant was ordered to attend a specialist programme to understand the link between image consumption and physical abuse. The Diocese of Nottingham confirmed that McBrien was immediately removed from ministry and barred from ever working as a priest again.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in England, Philip McBrien was handed:
- Probation Order: 18 months of supervision.
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements were activated for five years.
- Digital Monitoring: Ordered to make his computer available for police inspection and prohibited from deleting his internet history.
- Rehabilitation: Mandatory attendance on a course addressing the impact of child abuse imagery.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court following guilty pleas to possessing indecent images.
Monitoring and Public Protection
McBrien is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Nottinghamshire Police and the Probation Service. Due to the nature of his offences and his former role in Hucknall and Newark, Nottinghamshire, his management is subject to oversight by the Public Protection Unit.
As a member of the Sex Offenders Register, McBrien must comply with notification requirements regarding his residence in Rubys Walk, Fernwood, Newark, for the duration of his five-year term. Authorities state that the requirement to provide his digital devices for unannounced inspections is a vital safeguard to prevent any return to “sordid” online activity. Any breach of his registration conditions or his probation terms will result in immediate arrest and a return to Nottingham Crown Court.
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