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Ex-canon of Carlisle Cathedral Ronald Johns jailed | Ex-canon of Carlisle Cathedral Ronald Johns jailed |
(35 minutes later) | |
A former canon of Carlisle Cathedral, convicted of a series of child sex offences dating back almost 30 years, has been jailed for four years. | |
Ronald Johns, who was also a vicar in Caldbeck, Cumbria, was found guilty of sexual offences committed against three boys between 1983 and 1991. | |
He admitted 10 counts of indecent assault and gross indecency. | He admitted 10 counts of indecent assault and gross indecency. |
The 75-year-old, of Kings Road, Coltishall, Norwich, was sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court on Monday. | The 75-year-old, of Kings Road, Coltishall, Norwich, was sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court on Monday. |
The court heard that between 1983 and 1991 and while serving as a vicar in Caldbeck and then as a Canon at Carlisle Cathedral, Johns had used "classic grooming techniques" to abuse three boys aged between 14 and 17. | |
In each case the victims described Johns as a "trusted family friend" - one saying he was a "father figure". | |
In all cases they said they had struggled to come to terms with the abuse. Two of them told police they considered suicide. | |
Johns admitted two charges of indecent assault and four counts of gross indecency in relation to one victim. | |
He also pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to two counts of gross indecency each against two other teenagers. | |
Cumbria Police praised the victims who had come forward and said Johns had "abused his position of trust to commit heinous crimes against children." | |
A spokesperson for the diocese said the sentence was "just and fair". |