Vicar took wholly inappropriate interest in childrens sex lives - court hears
A FORMER Thatcham vicar who counselled school-age children took a “wholly inappropriate” interest in their sex lives, Reading Crown Court has heard.
The Rev Peter Jarvis, now of Clares Green Road, Spencers Wood, denies 12 charges relating to four children – two girls and two boys – aged from 12 upwards.
Jonathan Seely, prosecuting, told jurors how, during his tenure in the parish of Thatcham,
50-year-old Mr Jarvis
o gave one child cannabis
o encouraged sexual activity between children and bought them condoms
o asked a boy to remove his trousers
o told one girl he could have sex with her
o asked for pictures of children in their underwear
o asked for a kiss during
counselling sessions
When police interviewed him, Mr Jarvis gave a prepared statement denying all wrongdoing, then answered “no comment” to all questions, the jury was told.
Mr Seely, opening the trial on Monday, said: “In recent times there have been a number of high profile cases of child abuse in the media spotlight involving the most depraved and extreme sexual abuse of young children. This is not one of those cases at all, you will be relieved to hear.
“That is not to say these aren’t serious allegations. His conduct was, bearing in mind his position of responsibility, entirely inappropriate and a serious breach of trust. The defendant is a 50-year-old vicar and at the relevant time he was working in the parish of Thatcham.”
Mr Jarvis would provide one-to-one counselling and Mr Seely said some of the children were “particularly vulnerable, with considerable difficulties in their young lives”.
He added: “He used his position to befriend young people, exchanging mobile phone numbers and becoming Facebook friends. He would meet them after school and take them places, buy them cigarettes and give them money. He took a wholly inappropriate interest in their sex lives and would discuss sexual matters in an inappropriate way – they were children.
“He would ask, or encourage, them to do sexual acts.”
Mr Seely went on: “The defence case is that these were fabrications, simply untrue. But you may feel that the understated nature of the conduct complained of is a hallmark of the truthfulness of the allegations, that these are not malicious allegations brought by dishonest witnesses...listen carefully to the measured way they give their evidence.”
He said of the first girl who will give evidence: “During several counselling sessions the defendant asked her how much he would need to pay her to sleep with her. He would put his arms round her. He would meet her at weekends and after school and take her to a variety of places; he would allow her to smoke;
he bought her a necklace as a gift. He would ask questions about her sex life and he set her up with her first two boyfriends and encouraged her to have sex with them.
“He would buy her condoms. He told her he liked to see her drunk and referred to her on Facebook as ‘Babes’ or ‘Baby,’ telling her: ‘I wish we could be together.’ He would cuddle or hug her, only when they were alone and, on some occasions, rub his hand
on her back.
“He asked her to take her top off so he could take a picture. She told him no. He ran his hand down her back. By this time she had passed the age of consent, but such conduct is clearly highly relevant.”
Regarding the second girl’s evidence, Mr Seely said: “He gave her lifts and bought her cigarettes. He asked her on numerous occasions for a kiss in the office during counselling sessions. There was a time when the children were sending pictures of themselves in their underwear and the defendant asked her to send him some of these pictures...they were underage, of course."
The court heard that Mr Jarvis told her that, now that he had left his former employment, he could have sex with her.
Mr Seely said the first boy will tell the court how Mr Jarvis took him for drives and started to talk sexually.
He added: “He would ask him to send pictures of himself in the context of what he did sexually with girls. He asked him to take his trousers off for him... he didn’t comply. He bought him cannabis and gave him money to keep him quiet, on one occasion, £100.”
Of the second boy, Mr Seely said: “The defendant took hold of him and tried to kiss him inappro-
priately... he pushed the defendant away. The boy said the defendant talked inappropriately about sexual matters.”
Mr Jarvis denies 12 charges of sexual offences against the children between 2008 and 2011.
The trial continues
