Female vicar, 53, who once accused her ‘nest of vipers’ flock of ruining her marriage by gossiping about her sexuality is accused of assaulting a woman and causing criminal damage
- Rev Michelle Bailey has been accused of assaulting Diane Shore on May 23 2020
- The 53-year-old’s case has been adjourned for the fourth time in court today
- Vicar, who accused flock of wrecking marriage, said she acted in self-defence
- In 2009, Rev Bailey accused her congregation of gossiping about her sexuality
A vicar, who once accused her ‘nest of vipers’ flock of wrecking her marriage by gossiping about her sexuality, has been accused of assaulting a woman and causing criminal damage.
The Rev Michelle Bailey, previously Rev Morton, 53, is said to have attacked Diane Shore on May 23 last year, during the first Covid-19 lockdown.
Magistrates, sitting at North Staffordshire Justice Centre today, adjourned the case for the fourth time after Rev Bailey claimed to have found new evidence to present in her defence.
She claims that she acted in self-defence.
The Rev Michelle Bailey (pictured), previously Rev Morton, 53, is said to have attacked Diane Shore on May 23 last year, during the first Covid-19 lockdown
Back in 2009, the vicar and mother-of-three (pictured in 2009) likened her flock to a ‘nest of vipers’ and accused them of wrecking her marriage by gossiping about her sexuality
Magistrates, sitting at North Staffordshire Justice Centre (pictured), adjourned the case for the fourth time after Rev Bailey claimed to have found new evidence to present in her defence
Rev Bailey (pictured) claims that she acted in self-defence, but chairman of the Bench David Rowe accused her of ‘wasting court time’ in court today
Chairman of the Bench David Rowe accused her of ‘wasting court time’ and denied her counsel Imran Khan extra time to take instructions from his client.
But when Mr Khan said he would have to step away from the case, an adjournment became inevitable as Rev Bailey was not allowed to cross-examine her own accuser.
Rev Bailey has been suspended on full pay from her £40,000-a-year job as Priest in Charge of The Benefice of Dan Yr Epynt in the Diocese of Swansea and Brecon since the incident 17 months ago.
Previous hearings of the case were scrapped in April, May and August.
In April, the defendant was unable to travel after receiving a nuisance phone call, while the May hearing collapsed when she sacked her solicitor and she had suspected Covid when the August hearing was due.
Jacqueline Coley-Fisher, for the prosecution, said this was the second time the alleged victim of the case had attended court only to be told her evidence could not be heard.
Rev Bailey (pictured) has been suspended on full pay from her £40,000-a-year job as Priest in Charge of The Benefice of Dan Yr Epynt in the Diocese of Swansea and Brecon
In 2009, the vicar (pictured leaving court today), then known as Rev Morton, blamed die-hard traditionalists for ruining her marriage with ‘poisonous’ gossip
When serving in the parish of St Michael and All Angels in Stewkley, Buckinghamshire, in 2009, the vicar, then known as Rev Morton, blamed die-hard traditionalists for ruining her marriage.
She delivered a blistering sermon accusing her parishioners of breaking up her marriage with ‘poisonous’ gossip about her relationship with a Stetson-wearing female bull breeder Michele Wilde.
The mother-of-three likened her flock to a ‘nest of vipers’ and was given time off to deal with her issues.
The vicar’s close friendship with divorced mother-of-one Michele Wilde, a champion Belgian Blue cattle breeder who lives on a farm in the neighbouring village of Soulbury, raised eyebrows.
At the time, Michele Wilde said: ‘The only reason the gossip started was because Michelle [Rev Bailey] had trouble with her marriage — and some people don’t like her because she’s modern, radical and wants to move the Church forward.’
Rev Bailey’s formal career in the Church began in 2000 when she attended Ripon College, a theological training centre in Cuddesdon in Oxfordshire.
She was made assistant curate at St Peter and St Paul Church in Buckingham in 2002 and moved to Stewkley as Priest in Charge in 2005.
A new hearing was set for 11 March to last all day.
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