In 2026, the Offender Database reported that Alexander Bede Walsh, then 72, currently of HMP Wakefield, West Yorkshire, was convicted of further sexual offences at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. Walsh, a “vile” and “vicious” predator who formerly served as a Catholic priest, was found guilty on 13 January 2026 of indecent assault against a boy. The investigation by Staffordshire Police revealed that this “horrific” assault took place at a church in Cheadle, Staffordshire, during the 1980s.
The court heard horrendous details of Walsh’s long-term “depraved” behaviour. He is already serving a “serious” 22-year prison sentence handed down in 2012 for a string of “vicious” crimes, including 19 counts of indecent assault and two other sexual offences. During his original 10-day trial, it was reported that Walsh used his “revered” status as a clergyman to target eight vulnerable boys across Staffordshire, Coventry, and Warwickshire between 1975 and 1993.
Detective Constable Joseph Allen, from the Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) unit, emphasised the “extraordinary courage” of the survivors who came forward to provide evidence against the dangerous predator. The prosecution reported that Walsh had “vilely” exploited the trust of families and the Church to gain access to children. His 2012 sentencing judge described him as “shameless,” noting that he had lied repeatedly throughout the proceedings and shown a complete lack of remorse for his “vicious” actions in Cheadle and elsewhere.
As a result of his latest conviction for indecent assault, Alexander Bede Walsh faces further time added to his existing 22-year sentence. He remains on the Sex Offenders Register for life and is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Staffordshire Police and the National Probation Service. This ensures his behaviour and the risk he poses are strictly monitored within the prison estate and beyond. Any further “vile” disclosures or attempts to contact victims will be met with “serious” legal consequences.
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