The Bishop of Northampton, David James Oakley, 70, has been charged with two counts of rape against a female under the age of 16. Staffordshire Police confirmed the charges follow Oakley's arrest in September of the previous year. The alleged offenses are reported to have occurred in Staffordshire.
Oakley is scheduled to appear at Cannock Magistrates' Court on August 14. The Catholic Diocese of Northampton, which oversees Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, and Buckinghamshire, acknowledged the charges in a statement. The diocese stated that the charges stem from an investigation into "non-recent safeguarding allegations."
"We recognise this case is very distressing for all concerned," the diocese said, adding that it could not provide further comment due to active legal proceedings. Oakley was born in Stourbridge and ordained in 1980. He served in various parishes within the Archdiocese of Birmingham before being appointed Bishop of Northampton in 2020.