Methodist leader denies sexual assault charges involving five women

Summarised from Falmouth Packet's report · Updated 4 Nov, 22:40 · Archive

Rev Steven Wild, 72, denies 11 counts of sexual assault and one of indecent assault involving five women over more than a decade.

The trial of Rev Steven Wild, 72, a former chairman of the Cornwall Methodist District and former president of the Methodist Conference, opened at Truro Crown Court. He faces 11 counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault involving five women, all of which he denies. The prosecution said the alleged offences took place over more than a decade and involved women who had contact with Wild through the Methodist Church. The allegations concerned non-consensual sexual touching of clothed women, sometimes in public, without violence or force.

The prosecution told the jury Wild exploited his position of trust and power, and his reputation for being "tactile", to disguise such behaviour. One woman alleged she met Wild at a religious service in 2004 and felt nervous when he stood very close to her and shook her hand for an unusually long time. On another occasion, she alleged he put his arms around her, made noises and repeatedly kissed her cheek inside a chapel whilst she was shaking and crying. Later that day, he allegedly put his arm around her with his hand over the waistband of her trousers.

When the woman told a friend what had happened, she was allegedly told she could not say such things about Wild and that he was "wonderful", receiving what prosecutors described as no real help from people within the church. Safeguarding concerns eventually emerged following a review of practices within the Cornwall Methodist District, which found people had previously been uncomfortable with Wild's behaviour but there had been no proper investigation or adequate record keeping.

Read the report

• Women feared reporting senior Methodist leader, trial hearsFive women were allegedly sexually touched by a former senior Methodist leader who used his position of power and trust, a jury has heard.Falmouth Packet · 4 Nov, 16:32
• Woman ‘fobbed off’ after raising concerns about former Methodist leader, trial hearsA woman who raised concerns about a senior Methodist figure accused of sexually assaulting five women was effectively “fobbed off”, a jury heard.Falmouth Packet · 4 Nov, 13:40
• Woman ‘fobbed off’ after raising concerns about former Methodist leader, trial hearsA woman who raised concerns about a senior Methodist figure accused of sexually assaulting five women was effectively “fobbed off”, a jury heard.Falmouth Packet · 4 Nov, 13:40

In this story: Rev Steven Wild · Cornwall Methodist District · Methodist Church · Truro Crown Court · St Ives · Cornwall

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