‘Swinging’ drunken cleric is prohibited for 12 years

THE Revd Teresa Davies, a former Team Vicar in the Daventry Team Min­istry, in the diocese of Peter­borough, was this week prohibited from ordained ministry for 12 years by a tribunal under the Clergy Discipline Measure.

The tribunal upheld complaints that Mrs Davies and her husband had an open sexual relationship, and that she had taken services while under the influence of alcohol. Mrs Davies was found to have acted in a manner unbecoming or inappropriate to the office and work of a clerk in holy orders.

The tribunal, which met in September in London, heard that Mrs Davies had told clergy colleagues at a Christmas lunch in December 2006 that she and her husband Mick took holidays in an area in the south of France noted for the casual exchange of sexual partners.

She later claimed in a hearing in January 2007 with the Archdeacon of Northampton, the Ven. Christine Allsopp, who was the complainant at the tribunal, that she had been drinking during the lunch, and was trying to be “laddish”.

When presented with 12 pages of extracts from “swinging” websites for sexual contacts concerning “Tess and Mick, Daventry”, Mrs Davies denied that they were about her and her husband. During the tribunal, however, she conceded that the web entries related to her and her husband. She expressed “regret and contrition”.

Regarding the question of drinking, the tribunal heard how Mrs Davies was under the influence of alcohol at four separate services between September and December 2006. During an Advent carol service at Holy Cross in Welton on 3 December 2006, Mrs Davies was said to have “smelled strongly of alcohol”, and was “unsteady on her feet, sitting in the congregation at times with her head in her hands”.

At the hearing, Mrs Davies acknowledged she had developed a drinking problem. She regretted de­clining profes­sional help suggested by Archdeacon Allsopp in early 2007.

The tribunal rejected Mrs Davies’s submissions that a rebuke would be a “sufficient penalty” for her behaviour as she had showed remorse at all times.

Its determination read that “the respondent still has no appreciation of the seriousness of the findings against her, nor of the damage caused”. It considered her behaviour to be “a serious breach, and one that requires a serious penalty to be imposed.

“The tribunal considers that in the fullness of time the Respondent may or should fully appreciate the seriousness of her misconduct, and she can then begin to experience repentance and move on towards rehabilitation.”

Derek Williams, spokesman for the diocese, said: “It is always a matter of regret when any clergy fail to set an example of Christian behaviour in word and deed. We are very sorry that Teresa Davies has failed to set such an example.”

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