Vicar’s trial on child porn charges is delayed

12:22pm Thursday 28th September 2006

THE trial of a vicar accused of downloading child pornography from the internet has been delayed.

At a pre-trial review at Worcester Crown Court on Tuesday both prosecution and defence asked for more time to prepare the case.

James Morrish, aged 41, of The Rectory, Kingstone, denies 11 charges of making indecent photographs of a child between October 18 and 24 last year. He also denies two charges of possessing 69 indecent photographs of children between December 2001 and October last year.

Married Morrish, the priest in charge of Kingstone, Thruxton and Clehonger parishes, is suspended from his clerical duties.

Judge Andrew Geddes granted him bail to live at another address on condition he had no access to the internet.

The judge gave the prosecution two weeks to serve further evidence from a computer expert and the defence four weeks after that date to serve their evidence in reply.

The trial was adjourned to a date to be fixed.

Morrish did not wear a clergyman's collar for his brief appearance but was dressed in a white suit.

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