Former priest from the Warwick area jailed for child sex offences

A former priest who worked in the Warwick area has been jailed for child sex offences.

As we reported in December, Joseph Quigley was found guilty by a majority jury of four counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child, two counts of sexual assault, one count of child cruelty and two counts of false imprisonment following his trial at Warwick Crown Court.

Today (Friday January 29) he was sentenced to 11 years and six months in prison and ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for life.

At the time the offences occurred, which police said were 'not recent', Quigley was working in a position of trust as a priest at a church in the Warwick area.

As well as the sexual abuse, Father Joseph Quigley also beat his victim with a hurling stick and locked him in the cold and dark crypt.

The judge described the former priest as ‘a sexual sadist and voyeur'.

Following today's sentence, investigating officer Detective Sergeant Abigail Simpson from Warwickshire Police said: “I welcome today’s sentence and hope this sends strong a message to other perpetrators of child sexual abuse that we will always thoroughly investigate sexual offences against children and do everything in our power to bring offenders to justice, regardless of when the offences took place.

“Thankfully Quigley is now behind bars paying the price for his reprehensible crimes committed against a vulnerable child.

“The victim in this case has demonstrated immense bravery in disclosing what happened to him, and I hope today’s sentence offers some comfort and closure.

“I would urge anyone who may have been a victim of sexual abuse to come forward and report this to us, regardless of when the abuse happened. We will always investigate offences of this nature and are committed to ensuring victims have the necessary support in place to help them.”

Tamina Greaves of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said: “As a priest, Joseph Quigley used his position to commit depraved offences against the victim who trusted and respected him, and he abused that trust.

"The CPS built a compelling case against Mr Quigley that included witness testimonies and documentary evidence which also demonstrated he had a history of behaving inappropriately towards another young male.

"Despite the overwhelming evidence mounted against him, Quigley continued to deny any wrongdoing but was convicted by the jury.

"I would like to commend the victim and key witnesses for their bravery and support in helping the CPS bring this child abuser to justice.”

Anyone who has been the victim of a sexual offence is encouraged to report the incident to police by calling 101, where specially trained officers will help victims with care and sensitivity, and will work to get the right result for them with their wishes in mind. Always call 999 in an emergency.