The Metropolitan Police have had some trouble getting Laurence Soper back from Kosovo. Two extradition hearings both decided that Soper could not be extradited because in Kosovo there is a statute of limitations on the crimes of which he has been accused, and the time period had expired.
However it appears that the Kosovo authorities have nonetheless decided he was an undesirable alien and deported him. He arrived at Luton airport yesterday and was arrested on arrival. He will appear before Ealing magistrates today on charges including buggery, gross indecency and indecent assault.
Monday, 22 August 2016
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The BBC report refers to him as "Mr Soper". Is he still in Holy Orders or has he in fact been defrocked?
ReplyDeleteTo the best of my knowledge he has been expelled from the Benedictine order by the current Abbot and suspended from the priestly ministry.
DeleteBut the Abbot cannot laicize him, only Rome can do that and I have no idea whether the process for that has even started.
So I believe "Father Laurence Soper" is still his correct title.
I presume he will be charged under his real (non-monastic) name of Andrew Soper.
This arrest is repoted in the Catholic Herald where Comments have been stopped except for the Facebook page, Some of us would be obliged if an informed person - perhaps yourself - could post your reply here on the Herald Facebook comments. Thank you.
DeleteQuote from Sky News - "He was told to appear at Isleworth Crown Court on 19 September." Does this mean he has been granted bail? If so, this is a somewhat risky strategy given his previous action in jumping bail. One hopes that this time the police have confiscated his passport.
ReplyDeleteI guess that his lawyers thought it not even worth applying for bail, as he is a known flight risk. I expect he has been remanded in custody until 19 September.
DeleteSo many many unanswered questions in relation to Soper and his odyssey; We may now receive answers to questions such as how he financed himself while 'on the run' and who may have facilitated him in this matter.
ReplyDeleteI do think Ealing Abbey give serious consideration to dissolving itself as a monastic foundation.
Yes, dissolve the Monastic Foundation and all the Monks be re-deployed to work in the Foreign Missions as a penance.
ReplyDelete