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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. | 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 Borrowdale and Caldbeck in Cumbria, was found guilty of sex offences 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 Borrowdale 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 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. | 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. | Johns admitted two charges of indecent assault and four counts of gross indecency in relation to one victim. |
| 'Manipulative and predatory' | |
| He also pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to two counts of gross indecency each against two other teenagers. | 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." | 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". | A spokesperson for the diocese said the sentence was "just and fair". |
| The court was told Johns was demoted by his bishop instead of police being informed of the allegations made by his first victim. | |
| The victim had made an official complaint to the church in 1993. By that time Johns was a canon at Carlisle Cathedral. | |
| Johns made admissions to the then bishop, the late Right Rev Ian Harland, who felt the appropriate sanction was to move him to a church in Caldbeck. | |
| The matter only came to the attention of police this year when another victim complained he had been abused by Johns. | |
| Police checked records at the cathedral, which detailed the 1993 complaint dealt with by Bishop Harland, who died three years ago. | |
| Sentencing him, Mr Justice Singh said: "As you accept, you have ruined your life and brought disgrace upon yourself." | |
| He said his pre-sentence report had summarised his behaviour as "manipulative" and "predatory". |