A Nigerian priest who went on the run after
sexually assaulting a woman in the UK has
been jailed for eight months. 58 year old
Father Hilary Ogom Nwadei, pleaded guilty to
fondling the woman’s Bosom s and exposing
himself while staying at St Mary’s Priory in
Leyland. Nwadei, from the Diocese of Issele-
Uku, Delta State, Nigeria, began staying at the
Priory in September 2013 while he studied a
doctorate in law at the University of Central
Lancashire, and also preached to the
congregation. During that time, according to
reports, he complained of loneliness and
befriended his victim who he regularly
confided in and often hugged during these
exchanges. However on December 12, 2013,
he asked the woman to help him pack for a
return trip to Nigeria.
She agreed and went to his bedroom. David
Traynor, prosecuting, said:
�
Quote
The defendant leaned against the door of
the room, causing it to shut. He was
between her and her way out of the room.
He asked her for a kiss and she presented
him with her cheek, but the defendant said
‘No, a proper kiss’, then kissed her on the
lips.
The victim said she wanted to leave and
tried to leave, then the defendant asked if
she had any sexual feelings towards him.
When she said no the defendant reached
up the back of her jumper and undid her
bra.
Then he moved his hands round the front,
underneath her jumper and placed his
hands under her bra, onto her naked
Bosom s. He fondled her Bosom s for a
matter of seconds. The woman made her
excuses to leave, but he was still between
her and the door, so she couldn't leave at
that point.
”The court heard he then undid his trousers,
exposed himself and made a lewd comment.
The woman said she had to leave and Nwadei
moved out of the way to let her pass.
Mr Traynor also told the court Nwadei had
told the woman “it was meant to be just you
and me” and told her not to say anything.
The assault followed two incidents in previous
days, where Nwadei had told the woman he
loved her, “twanged” her bra and slipped £100
in her pocket for new underwear. The woman
told a friend and the matter was raised with
the church, who launched an investigation,
then told the police.
Nwadei returned to Nigeria before moving to
London, returning briefly to Leyland to
apologize for his actions. But knowing that he
was wanted for questioning, he left the UK
again, following the death of his father and did
not return until he was arrested at Heathrow
Airport while on a transit flight to the USA in
December 2014 – 12 months after the
offence.
Claire Jones, defending, said:
“He yearns to return to his country and has
learned a salutary lesson. He can no longer
carry on in this vein. He has been asked to
leave the church and also it has shaken his
faith going through this experience.”
She insisted there was no evidence to suggest
he tried to stop the victim from leaving the
bedroom during the time of the assault.
Judge Michael Byrne read out excerpts from
the victim’s impact statement, where she told
of feeling intimidated and scared to bump into
Nwadei. Sentencing, he said:
“ I make it unequivocally plain that all
incidents of sexual assault always regarded
as serious. ”
He said although the crime was at the lower
end of the scale, it has two aggravating
features – it was a breach of trust for a
minister of religion, and that the invitation to
his bedroom was for the purpose of a sexual
encounter.
Reflecting his guilty plea, Judge Byrne jailed
him for eight months with a £100 statutory
charge. Nwadei will be put on the sex
offenders’ register for 10 years, and will be
deported from the UK immediately after his
jail term expires.
DS Carl Matthews
“ This was a despicable crime committed by
Nwadei who then tried to flee from facing the
consequences of his actions. I hope that
today’s sentence brings some closure to his
victim who has been supported by specially
trained officers throughout the process.”
sexually assaulting a woman in the UK has
been jailed for eight months. 58 year old
Father Hilary Ogom Nwadei, pleaded guilty to
fondling the woman’s Bosom s and exposing
himself while staying at St Mary’s Priory in
Leyland. Nwadei, from the Diocese of Issele-
Uku, Delta State, Nigeria, began staying at the
Priory in September 2013 while he studied a
doctorate in law at the University of Central
Lancashire, and also preached to the
reports, he complained of loneliness and
befriended his victim who he regularly
confided in and often hugged during these
exchanges. However on December 12, 2013,
he asked the woman to help him pack for a
return trip to Nigeria.
She agreed and went to his bedroom. David
Traynor, prosecuting, said:
�
Quote
The defendant leaned against the door of
the room, causing it to shut. He was
between her and her way out of the room.
He asked her for a kiss and she presented
him with her cheek, but the defendant said
‘No, a proper kiss’, then kissed her on the
lips.
The victim said she wanted to leave and
tried to leave, then the defendant asked if
she had any sexual feelings towards him.
When she said no the defendant reached
up the back of her jumper and undid her
bra.
Then he moved his hands round the front,
underneath her jumper and placed his
hands under her bra, onto her naked
Bosom s. He fondled her Bosom s for a
matter of seconds. The woman made her
excuses to leave, but he was still between
her and the door, so she couldn't leave at
that point.
”The court heard he then undid his trousers,
exposed himself and made a lewd comment.
The woman said she had to leave and Nwadei
moved out of the way to let her pass.
Mr Traynor also told the court Nwadei had
told the woman “it was meant to be just you
and me” and told her not to say anything.
The assault followed two incidents in previous
days, where Nwadei had told the woman he
loved her, “twanged” her bra and slipped £100
in her pocket for new underwear. The woman
told a friend and the matter was raised with
the church, who launched an investigation,
then told the police.
Nwadei returned to Nigeria before moving to
London, returning briefly to Leyland to
apologize for his actions. But knowing that he
was wanted for questioning, he left the UK
again, following the death of his father and did
not return until he was arrested at Heathrow
Airport while on a transit flight to the USA in
December 2014 – 12 months after the
offence.
Claire Jones, defending, said:
“He yearns to return to his country and has
learned a salutary lesson. He can no longer
carry on in this vein. He has been asked to
leave the church and also it has shaken his
faith going through this experience.”
She insisted there was no evidence to suggest
he tried to stop the victim from leaving the
bedroom during the time of the assault.
Judge Michael Byrne read out excerpts from
the victim’s impact statement, where she told
of feeling intimidated and scared to bump into
Nwadei. Sentencing, he said:
“ I make it unequivocally plain that all
incidents of sexual assault always regarded
as serious. ”
He said although the crime was at the lower
end of the scale, it has two aggravating
features – it was a breach of trust for a
minister of religion, and that the invitation to
his bedroom was for the purpose of a sexual
encounter.
Reflecting his guilty plea, Judge Byrne jailed
him for eight months with a £100 statutory
charge. Nwadei will be put on the sex
offenders’ register for 10 years, and will be
deported from the UK immediately after his
jail term expires.
DS Carl Matthews
“ This was a despicable crime committed by
Nwadei who then tried to flee from facing the
consequences of his actions. I hope that
today’s sentence brings some closure to his
victim who has been supported by specially
trained officers throughout the process.”