London - A Catholic priest was yesterday found guilty of sexually assaulting four women. The jury reached majority verdicts on eight charges of indecently assaulting victims during "spiritual guidance" counselling.
He was cleared of seven counts of indecent assault in relation to a fifth woman but the jury is still considering four more charges. It will resume its deliberations today.
During the trial at Leicester Crown Court the jury heard that Robert Deadman (69), known as Father James, molested the women at the Mount Saint Bernard Abbey, near Coalville, Leicestershire, where he lived as a monk between 1983 and 1993.