Former Wolverhampton school chaplain Edward Phillip-Smith, known as 'Father Eddie', has avoided an immediate prison sentence for historic sex offences against boys after a judge heard he has less than two years to live due to terminal cancer. The 76-year-old former priest was handed a two-year community order at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Monday, July 20, for assaults that took place in the 1970s and 1980s while he was a teacher and chaplain at St Peter's Collegiate School.
Details of the Offences
Phillip-Smith had previously been jailed for 32 months in January 2024 at Oxford Crown Court after admitting two counts of inciting a boy under 14 to commit an act of gross indecency and one count of indecent assault. He was released in 2025. However, publicity from that case led two further victims to come forward, prosecutor Andrew Wallace told the court. Both victims were under 14 at the time of the assaults.
The first victim recalled visiting Phillip-Smith's flat in Wolverhampton because the defendant was 'considered a cool and trendy teacher'. Phillip-Smith had a Scalextric set, which excited the boy. After playing with it, Phillip-Smith became 'irritated' and said 'he had something else to show' the boy. He then led the boy to the bedroom, undressed him, assaulted him, and made him perform a sex act. Phillip-Smith then took the boy to the bathroom, where he masturbated, Wallace said.
Impact on Victims
In a victim impact statement read to the court, the first victim said he has 'struggled' with relationships throughout his adult life, feeling 'vulnerable' and 'paranoid'. He has experienced post-traumatic stress disorder and 'dark dreams' since the ordeal. As a 'person of faith', he found it difficult to 'reconcile Christian values' due to Phillip-Smith's 'selfish and repulsive crimes', leaving him suffering in 'silent pain'.
The second victim met Phillip-Smith through his family's local church. On one occasion, the paedophile assaulted the boy and made him perform a sex act while staying at the defendant's home in Brewood, South Staffordshire. The victim described Phillip-Smith as a 'leading figure' in the community at the time. He recalled 'screaming for his wife' and 'shaking' upon hearing of the 2024 conviction. 'I was angry that I had mainly kept this to myself for all these years,' he said. The ordeal has affected his confidence, caused sleepless nights, and made it difficult to trust others. 'This crime has been eating away at my mind for over 40 years and it's not going away any time soon,' he added.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
Phillip-Smith appeared via video link, accompanied by defence counsel Lucy Tapper. Tapper said the paedophile had asked her to emphasise his 'remorse and sincere apologies'. She noted that Phillip-Smith had already 'served a full custodial term' and remains on licence, subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and lifetime registration on the sex offenders register. Tapper stated that the convict is 'incredibly unwell', adding: 'Having served that sentence [in 2024], he is now at the end of his life.' She argued that a custodial sentence would likely prevent him from being released, as his cancer treatment would be interrupted. A non-custodial sentence would allow his chemotherapy to continue, potentially prolonging his life by a few months.
Phillip-Smith, now of Meadow Close, Elmstead, Colchester, Essex, admitted two counts of indecent assault on a boy under 14, one count of inciting a boy under 14 to commit an act of gross indecency, and one count of gross indecency with a boy under 14 between 1978 and 1983.
Judge's Remarks
Sentencing, Judge John Butterfield noted that Phillip-Smith was diagnosed with cancer in December 2025, with a prognosis of one to two years. Chemotherapy will not cure him but could extend his life by a few months. The sex offender also suffered an embolism and now walks with a crutch. The judge acknowledged 'competing factors', stating that the defendant's crimes 'richly deserve custody' and that he would have been jailed for longer in 2024 had all offences been known. However, citing his deteriorating health, Judge Butterfield imposed a two-year community order with a programme requirement and a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement.
Background and Church Response
Phillip-Smith was ordained as a priest in Lichfield Diocese in 1974. A spokesman for Lichfield Diocese confirmed his employment as school chaplain at the time of the offences, describing the harm as 'reprehensible'. The spokesman told the BBC: 'It is deeply sorrowful and shameful that a priest who is in a position of trust should have committed such offences. We are pleased he has been brought to justice for these and other crimes.'
