David Oakley, the Bishop of Northampton who was born in Stourbridge, has appeared in court over allegations of rape and indecent assault. The 70-year-old faces one count of indecent assault and two counts of rape, with the alleged offences said to have taken place in the early 2000s when the complainant was 15 years old. At that time, Oakley was in his mid-40s and working as a Catholic priest.
Oakley was expected to enter pleas at the Old Bailey on Thursday, September 10. Instead, the court heard that an application to dismiss the charges has been lodged. That application is scheduled to be heard on January 4 next year.
Allegations of incidents at Lourdes, presbytery and canal boat
Court documents indicate that Oakley is alleged to have kissed the girl during a pilgrimage to Lourdes, as well as raping her in a presbytery and on a canal boat. Last month, prosecutor Sarah Madden alleged at Westminster Magistrates' Court that Oakley and the girl 'started dating… after going on a pilgrimage to Lourdes'. She said: "She recalls sex with the defendant on at least two occasions."
Oakley, who is on conditional bail, was charged in June following an investigation by Staffordshire Police's rape and serious sexual offences team. He was first arrested by police in September 2025.
Background and current status
Oakley, who was ordained as a priest in 1980, became Bishop of Northampton in 2020. The pensioner is currently withdrawn from public ministry. Pilgrims make the journey to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, in south-west France, every year.
The next hearing in the case is the dismissal application on January 4, which will determine whether the charges proceed to trial.
