A trainee minister within the Church of England, Thomas De Lacey, aged 77, has been sentenced to four years in jail for indecently assaulting a girl over 30 years ago.
De Lacey was found guilty of two counts of indecent assault against a girl under the age of 14 when she visited his residence in Preston on a church-related matter, according to the police.
The survivor chose to keep the incidents to herself until 2022, when she eventually disclosed the details to the safeguarding team of the Diocese of Blackburn. Following a five-day trial at Preston Crown Court, De Lacey, currently residing in The Hawthornes, Rufford, was convicted.
Judge Graham Knowles KC imposed a life-term registration on the sex offenders' register for De Lacey and prohibited him from working with children for the rest of his life.
Simon Morris, an investigation officer with Lancashire Police' said: "De Lacey carried out these offences three decades ago, but justice has finally caught up with him.
"The victim was a young girl when she was assaulted by De Lacey and she bravely came forward as an adult to report what had happened.
Lancashire Police said it was "committed to investigating allegations of this nature no matter how long ago they happened".
