Controversial Soho priest starts fight to keep his job - Fr David Gilmore challenges decision to oust him from St Anne’s church

Published: 28 January 2011
by JOSH LOEB

A PRIEST who was removed from his post has returned to the parish and launched an appeal that could result in his being reinstalled.

Father David Gilmore disappeared from public life shortly before Christmas after an ecclesiastical tribunal found he had walked in naked on two guests at his rectory in St Anne’s church, Dean Street.

A Diocese of London disciplinary tribunal found him guilty of “conduct unbecoming or inappropriate to the office and work of a clerk in Holy Orders” and banned him from working as a priest for two years. 

This week it emerged Fr Gilmore has returned to the rectory and is living there. 

He has lodged an appeal with the Court of Arches, the highest ecclesiastical court, with the backing of senior parishioners.

In an email statement to the West End Extra on Wednesday, church warden Janet Vance said: “We, the churchwardens, the majority of the Parochial Church Council and St Anne’s congregation, along with members of the wider community of Soho, are in full support of Fr David Gilmore’s appeal.” 

The move will be viewed as a setback by others, who had wished to draw a line under the troubles, as it could take as long as three months before 

Fr Gilmore’s appeal is heard.

On Sunday the Bishop of London Dr Richard Chartres presided over a service at St Anne’s and confirmed afterwards that Fr Gilmore was appealing against the result of the tribunal.

Some parishioners had expected him to announce Fr Gilmore’s successor, but he said that the diocese was “in no rush” and did not want to pre-empt the findings of the appeal judges – an independent panel who would technically have the power to reappoint Fr Gilmore.

Fr Gilmore did not responded to emails or letters requesting a statement but on Wednesday a West End Extra reporter spoke to him briefly via an intercom inside the church. He confirmed he was Fr Gilmore and asked the reporter to identify himself. Our reporter obliged and Fr Gilmore hung up. 

The reporter was then encouraged to leave the premises by a church official who accused him of having hidden his identity and who told him: “This is our church.”

Prominent Soho residents have privately said that there remains deep mistrust within the community and some churchgoers accused the Soho Society of having launched a “witch-hunt” against Fr Gilmore after he evicted them from their base in the church tower in early December. The society denies this. A preliminary hearing to resolve the row over their eviction is due to take place at Lambeth Palace on Monday. It is expected to be held in private.

The Diocese of London said they could not comment on an ongoing case.

Archbishop’s appeal court 

THE Court of Arches, the court of appeal of the Archbishop of Canterbury, dates from the 13th century. 

It is not known on what grounds Fr David Gilmore plans to contest the result of December’s tribunal, but it is understood appellants to the court are entitled to query the judgment and/or sentence that has been arrived at. 

An independent panel is appointed for hearings which normally take place in public but can be held in camera in some cases. 

An appellant can ask for a review of a “harsh” sentence. However, this is a gamble since the review may conclude the original sentence was too lenient and award a harsher one.