East Sussex ex-vicar jailed for life for child sex offences at church where he worked
Ifor Whittaker carried out the offences on a young boy in the late 1990s
An East Sussex former vicar has been sentenced to life with a minimum term of eight years over historic child sex offences at the church where he worked.
Ifor Whittaker appeared at Hove Crown Court this afternoon after pleading guilty to rape and gross indecency with a boy under fourteen years of age last month.
At the time, the 80-year-old was known as Father Colin Pritchard at St John the Baptist Church in Seddlescombe.
The victim reported the abuse in February, 2022, at which point Whittaker was serving a 15-year sentence for non-recent sexual offences against a child. Those offences also related to his role as a vicar.
The victim is now in his thirties.
Detective Constable Nicky Beard said: “Ifor Whittaker is a predator who used his position of trust in the community to rape and sexually abuse young children.
“That level of betrayal must not be underestimated. Whittaker christened the victim in this investigation as a baby; he had earned the trust of his family – but he went on to abuse him in the most appalling way.
“The effects of that abuse have lasted a lifetime, but he has shown incredible strength and courage to report Whittaker’s crimes to police and ensure he has faced justice.
“I hope this outcome can provide some level of closure as he continues to come to terms with the trauma, while Whittaker spends most, if not all, of the rest of his life behind bars.
“If you are a victim of sexual offending, no matter how long ago, please report it to the police. Don’t suffer in silence – sometimes just reporting an incident can make a huge difference.
“We will believe you, we will support you and we will do everything we can to get you the justice you deserve.”