CAPTION: The trial took place at Exeter Crown Court
Julian Wheeler Conviction Statement
Julian Wheeler, a former priest in the Diocese of Exeter, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison after being found guilty of 13 counts of indecent assault at Exeter Crown Court.
He has been placed on the sex offenders register for life.
Wheeler, who is 75, served in the Diocese of Exeter from 1975-2003. The offences he was convicted of occurred while he was an Honorary Curate between 1986-2003 at a group of nine parishes in North Devon.
The Acting Bishop of Exeter, the Rt. Rev’d Jackie Searle, said: “Today’s sentence is a reflection of the extremely serious crimes committed by Julian Wheeler.
My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and survivors of his abuse, their friends and families, and all who have suffered as a result of his actions.
“I hope the justice done today will bring some peace to all affected by this case, including the communities where he lived and worked. It is deeply disturbing and shocking that vulnerable children were abused by a member of clergy who had a duty of care to protect them.”
Support has been offered to all those who came forward in this case.
Our safeguarding team has been working with the statutory authorities and, as per our House of Bishops safeguarding guidance, we will now be reviewing every aspect of this case to establish what lessons could be learnt from it.
If you would like to speak to someone in confidence relating to this case, or about any other safeguarding matter please contact our safeguarding team.
