After evading justice for decades, a priest has finally been convicted of abusing a 17-year-old theater star during a sleepover at Our Lady of Muswell in north London in the early nineties.
Father Reginald Dunkling, 63, who was entrusted with taking the boy to Tenerife, s3xually assaulted the boy between April 1992 and April 1993.
During a sleepover following a concert in Wembley, Dunkling molested the boy, resulting in the victim feeling compelled to leave as soon as possible.
The victim, now a theatrical professional, mentioned that Dunkling introduced him to theater and musicals, activities he ended up pursuing as a career, leading him to idolize the priest despite the abuse.
Despite denying the allegations when questioned by the police in 2020, Dunkling was found guilty of one count of indecent assault after a jury deliberation and is awaiting sentencing.
Judge Rachael Harrison expressed the seriousness of the abuse and stated that the starting point for sentencing is twenty-six weeks custody as per the current guidelines.
Dunkling’s lawyer, Tanya Panagiotopoulou, highlighted the priest’s medical issues, including surgery for bowel cancer and foot amputation, and emphasized the difficulty of the legal proceedings for him.
Although Dunkling has been bailed until October 13, the judge reminded him that the jury’s decision stands despite his denial of the charges.