Former school chaplain charged with child sex abuse
Essex PoliceA former school chaplain has been charged with historic child sex crimes in Wolverhampton.
Edward Phillips-Smith, 75, was ordained as a priest in Lichfield Diocese in 1974 and went on to work as a chaplain at St Peter's Collegiate Academy in Wolverhampton.
Following an investigation by West Midlands Police, he has been charged with indecent assault on a boy under 14 between 1978 and 1980, and gross indecency with a boy under 14 between the same dates.
Phillips-Smith, who has not yet entered a plea to the charges, was excused from appearing in person at a mention hearing at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Thursday.
A second mention hearing relating to the charges, which happened at a location in Wolverhampton not disclosed by police, has been set for 5 February, Wolverhampton Crown Court said.
A first hearing on the charges was held at Dudley Magistrates' Court on 25 September.
After leaving St Peter's, he subsequently worked at Edgarley Hall in Somerset and Papplewick Prep School in Berkshire.
