In 2020, the Offender Database recorded that then 71-year-old Canon Robert Bailey—a former vicar and RAF chaplain—was jailed for over eight years for the serial sexual abuse of two young girls. The investigation established that Bailey, of Brampton, Cumbria, targeted his victims over several years while serving in religious and military roles. The prosecution reported at Swindon Crown Court that one victim was under 13 when he began his strikes, while the other was just nine years old.
The investigation established that Bailey utilised his position as a “man of God” to groom the girls, inviting them into his bed or office. The prosecution reported that he would touch the children sexually and incite them to touch him while watching television or under the guise of comforting them—on one occasion, after a victim expressed fear of a spider. Despite admitting his behaviour to detectives in 2018, Bailey reportedly claimed to believe his younger victim “enjoyed” the strikes, a statement the court found indicative of his predatory mindset.
JUDICIAL FINDINGS AND SENTENCING
The court reported that Bailey had silenced his victims by telling them he would get into “a lot of trouble” if they spoke out. The investigation established that the Bishop of Carlisle provided a character reference for the 71-year-old, even though a probation report deemed Bailey a “high risk of serious harm” with a high likelihood of reoffending. The prosecution reported that Judge Peter Crabtree told the former Bishop Cannings vicar: “The only person who should feel guilt in this case is you.”
Judge-led proceedings at Swindon Crown Court concluded in 2020 with Bailey pleading guilty to four counts of sexual assault. For his actions in Wiltshire and Cumbria and the nature of the serial child abuse reported, he was sentenced to eight years and four months in prison. The judge also imposed a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), ensuring that the former chaplain is monitored by the authorities for the remainder of his life to prevent any further violation of human decency.
STATUS AND STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS
Based on the judicial orders issued in 2020:
- Legal Status: CONVICTED (Sexual assault of a girl under 13 by touching x4).
- Custodial Status: SERVING (In 2020, sentenced to 8 years and 4 months; currently incarcerated).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are active FOR LIFE.
- SHPO Status: Active FOR LIFE (Imposing permanent prohibitions on unsupervised contact with children and religious ministry).
- DBS Status: Placed on the Barred List (Indefinite and permanent ban from any role involving children, the RAF, or the Church of England).
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Swindon Crown Court; investigated by Wiltshire Police.
- Criminal Record: Former RAF chaplain and parish vicar; Abused children as young as nine in his home and office; Silenced victims via psychological manipulation; Deemed a “High Risk” to girls; Jailed in 2020.
- Origin: Brampton, Cumbria (Offences committed in Bishop Cannings, Wiltshire).
MONITORING AND PUBLIC PROTECTION
Bailey is managed as a high-risk offender under the statutory requirements of the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) in Cumbria and Wiltshire. Due to the nature of his behaviour—specifically his “serial” exploitation of his religious authority and his lack of remorse—he is a priority for the most intensive post-release supervision. Authorities reported that the 2020 conviction ensures Bailey is permanently stripped of his clerical standing and prohibited from any role involving the safety or human rights of the vulnerable.
As a registered sex offender for life, his details are permanently logged on the national police database. Authorities state that Bailey’s behaviour identifies an individual who prioritised his own gratification over the safety and human rights of two children who trusted him as a spiritual leader. Any failure by Bailey to adhere to his notification requirements or his restrictive court orders in Cumbria, Wiltshire, or elsewhere will result in immediate police intervention to ensure the ongoing safety of the public from a man who has violated the principles of human decency.
QUESTION – Given that a “Character Reference” was provided by a Bishop despite the offender being deemed a high risk to children, do you believe the law should legally prohibit the use of character references from professional colleagues in child sex abuse cases?
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