Bishop of Northampton Faces Charges of Child Rape
David James Oakley was arrested last September, Staffordshire Police confirmed.
A bishop has been formally charged with two counts of rape involving a female under the age of 16.
Staffordshire Police stated that the charges against David James Oakley, the Bishop of Northampton, come after his arrest in September of the previous year. The alleged offences are reported to have occurred within Staffordshire.
Oakley, aged 70, is scheduled to appear at Cannock Magistrates' Court on 14 August.
Diocese Statement and Background
The Catholic Diocese of Northampton, which encompasses Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, and Buckinghamshire, issued a statement confirming the charges against Oakley following an investigation into non-recent safeguarding allegations.
It recognised the case was "very distressing for all concerned" but stated it could not provide further comment due to ongoing legal proceedings.
According to the diocese, Oakley was born in Stourbridge, West Midlands, and was ordained in 1980.
He served in multiple parishes within the Archdiocese of Birmingham before his appointment as Bishop of Northampton in 2020.
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For more information, visit the Catholic Diocese of Northampton website.
