Anglican Priest Sentenced for Possessing Illicit Images of Little Boys

What do you do when you’re stressed? Eat something? Go for a run?

Nigel Cahill apparently looks at illicit photos of little boys. In fact, he had 219 of those images on his devices.

And, as you’ve probably guessed by now, he’s a religious leader — former religious leader, anyway, for now — and he just got sentenced to 18 months of community service for his crime.

The Rev Canon Nigel Cahill, the Rector of Aberavon, was suspended from his duties after being arrested at his Port Talbot home in June last year.

The 61-year-old had pleaded guilty to two offences of making indecent images of children between 2016 and 2020.

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Prosecutor Julie Sullivan told magistrates: “Mr Cahill said he was online talking to someone and looking at pictures of grown men.

“He said: “I’m not denying I have looked at younger boys. It’s a problem I’ve had for years when I’m stressed. I drink and look at pictures online.”

Cahill had previously worked for the Church in Wales, an Anglican church. After his conviction last month, the church released this statement:

The Church in Wales is deeply saddened and shocked that one of its clerics has committed such a serious offence. We hold all victims of child abuse in our prayers.

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There is no place for any form of abuse in the Church in Wales. We give the highest priority to the care and protection of children and vulnerable people in the community. To this end we regularly review our safeguarding procedures and provide comprehensive training.

With Cahill’s sentencing now complete, the Church will have to decide what to do with him. They’ve temporarily suspended him from his duties, but a Disciplinary Tribunal will have to make a determination about his long-term future within the Church. They’ll also have to figure out what, if anything, they could’ve done to prevent a man like this from holding any sort of role within their own hierarchy.

(Image via Shutterstock)