Victims of abuser priest 'deserve more justice'

A victim of an ex-priest given a two-year community sentence for sexual assaults on two other boys in the late 1970s and early 1980s has said his victims "deserve more justice".

Edward Phillips-Smith, 76, has now admitted to abusing a total of four boys while employed in Lichfield Diocese at St Peter's Collegiate School in Wolverhampton.

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard the former school chaplain had terminal cancer and had been given a life expectancy of less than two years.

Will, not his real name, was one of two St Peter's schoolboys whose abuse led to Phillips-Smith being jailed for 32 months in January 2024 and said: "I continue to do a life sentence for what he's done to me."

Warning: Some readers may find details of this case distressing.

The sentencing on Monday related to assaults that took place in the offender's school accommodation and at his Staffordshire home.

The victims came forward to report their abuse to police after media coverage of the 2024 trial, the court heard.

Will was also sexually assaulted when he stayed overnight at the chaplain's house.

He said he was frustrated to read Phillips-Smith had expressed "remorse and his sincere apology" for what he had done in court, since the offender had claimed during his own case it had been "an isolated offence".

"He's lied all the way through," he said. "He said it was an isolated incident with me, it wasn't.

"To say he's remorseful, it's just absolute rubbish... he's only remorseful because he got found out."

He described the community sentence as "lip service".

"They're giving him the benefit of the doubt because of his illness. People deserve more justice than that."

Phillips-Smith was released on licence in May last year, and now lives in Essex.

He was banned by the Church of England for life in January.

A tall man, described in court as a "cool and trendy" RE teacher, the former priest ran after-school clubs and used his stature to intimidate.

He invited one boy back to his school accommodation to play with a Scalextric set before abusing him.

He also took charge of youngsters on school trips and church camping excursions and abused several schoolboys during "activity holidays" at his own home in Brewood, Staffordshire.

One victim reported being offered a free trip on a barge if he agreed to share the chaplain's cabin, which he declined.

Will reported his abuse to police in 2023 after being unable to escape his dark thoughts about what had happened.

He said reading about other victims "hit home quite hard".

"I live it every day, I still do," he said. "I'm half the person I could have been because of what he's done."

He said: "People shouldn't have any sympathy because he's got cancer - I don't really care.

"I described it as a cancer within me growing, when I first spoke to police.

"I had to come forward to police to try and stop it taking over my life.

"I don't have any sympathy for him, because he doesn't deserve it."

Will said telling others helped him cope.

"I hope that people who did the same get some relief, because it's a hell of a secret to keep."

He added he had offered to make contact with other victims through police, to make them realise "they're not alone".

The Times reported in July 1987 Phillips-Smith was moving from St Peter's Collegiate School to be vicar at St Peter's church in Broadwater, Stevenage.

After that, he worked for a spell at Edgarley Hall School in Somerset, which is now Millfield Preparatory School.

In 2008, the Lichfield Diocese received a report of an allegation made against Phillips-Smith relating to his time in Wolverhampton.

The Oxford Diocese, where Phillips-Smith worked between 1993 and 2008 at Papplewick School, investigated alongside police, but no further action was taken.

Oxford Diocese previously told the BBC it became aware of him during a past cases review, which took place in all Church of England dioceses between 2019 and 2022 following concerns about sexual offences against children.

The information gathered in Oxford was shared with Lichfield Diocese and Staffordshire Police.

In a statement on Monday, Lichfield Diocese said it had co-operated with police on recent investigations and it was pleased he had been brought to justice.

"It is deeply sorrowful and shameful that a priest who is in a position of trust should have committed such offences... the harm he caused to pupils was reprehensible," a spokesman said.

Papplewick School updated its website with a statement from governing board chairman Andrew Try, who said his thoughts were with victims of the "appalling crimes".

A review of Phillips-Smith's time at the school was completed following his first conviction, Try wrote, and the results shared with police.

The review confirmed that, "while concerns about his behaviour were raised during his employment, no evidence met the threshold for criminal investigation".

"We are acutely aware that this fact does not rule out the possibility that harm may have occurred at Papplewick and this is a matter of deep regret," he said.

"We are profoundly sorry that anyone may have been affected by Mr Phillips‑Smith's behaviour during his time at the school."

Thames Valley Police has confirmed to the BBC that it received a report from a former pupil of inappropriate behaviour but the threshold for investigation had not been met.

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