Late Queen's Ex-Verger Gets 16 Years For Molesting Boys

The late Queen’s former verger, who molested one Southwark Cathedral chorister and another boarding school boy, was jailed for 16 years yesterday. 

Clive McCleester, 77, once served at Windsor Castle’s St. George’s Chapel and oversaw visitors to the Queen Mother’s tomb and helped organise royal funerals. 

He was described as: “Satan in disguise,” by the sister of the first victim as she held her late brother’s ashes in her hand at Inner London Crown Court.

McCleester, who lived in the Grade I-listed Hospital of St. Cross almshouse in St. Cross Road, Winchester will also have to sign the sex offenders register for life and be subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Appearing in custody via video link he was told by Judge Jane Rowley: “At the time of the offending you were the Head Verger at Southwark Cathedral and later the Head Verger at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.

“Those were great roles roles within the hierarchy and trust within the Church of England and you took advantage of your position to take sexual advantage of these complaints due to their young ages.” 

McCleester pleaded guilty to three counts of indecently assaulting a now-deceased victim on up to 100 occasions between January 1, 1968 and December 18, 1970.

Those counts reflect his time employed as a child welfare officer at Tylney Hall School, Hampshire between 1960 and 1971 before moving on to work at a children’s home.

McCleester lived at the boarding school in his own private residence, with a particular role in looking after the 14 year-old victim after the death of the boy’s grandmother.

After a life of drink and drug abuse to blank-out the memories of McCleester, the victim suffered a massive panic attack when police told him they were investigating the defendant and he suffered a fatal heart attack in August, 2020.

McCleester pleaded guilty to four counts of indecently assaulting the Southwark Cathedral victim between July 28, 1986 and July 27, 1987 and three counts of indecency with a child between the same dates.

This victim was a 13 year-old Southwark Cathedral choirboy, abused at McCleester’s flat within the vicarage.

In his child welfare role McCleester had particular responsibility for the now-deceased victim, but the sexual abuse began on the same day as the funeral of the young boy’s grandmother.

“He took the boy for a walk in the wooded area of the school grounds,” said prosecutor Catherine Donnelly.

There, intimate sexual abuse occurred, continuing in the defendant’s room, where he would strip the boy and molest him - also striking during bath time - two or three times a week.

In a victim impact statement the dead victim’s sister told the court: “He is Satan in disguise and deserves to go to hell. We hope he gets a long jail sentence and rots in jail. For me this man is pure evil.”

The Southwark Cathedral choirboy was invited by McCleester to his accommodation with the promise of Chinese takeaways, plied with wine and sexually abused.

He was also stripped naked and intimately molested by McCleester, who took him to a gay shop and bought him black leather underwear and a skin-tight fishnet vest.

As an adult he even helped McCleester beat a similar charge in 2003, giving evidence at Inner London Crown Court, where the defendant was cleared of abusing another Southwark Cathedral choirboy.

Now 48 years-old the victim told the court in his impact statement: “He fully exploited me for his sexual gratification. He has got away with his vile acts his whole life.”

“The first victim was sexually assaulted by you when he was boarding at Tylney Hall School and you were a child welfare supervisor at the school,” said Judge Rowley.

“He was extremely vulnerable young man and you were assigned to look after him and were tactile and caring towards him, which was all part of the grooming process that led to sexual abuse.

“He said you would take every possible opportunity to sexually assault him.”

Talking to the surviving victim and families of both the judge added: “You have waited patiently for justice to be done as a result of the horrendous acts carried out by the defendant. over many occasions over many years.

“Nobody could have been left untouched by the damage and hurt we have heard this defendant caused and the sad end of the first complainant’s life and the stress and damage he suffered as a result of these horrendous sex acts.”

The judge told McCleester: “The delay has allowed you to live your life in freedom and have enjoyed many years of a successful life, including at St. George’s Chapel, but your victims have not been that lucky.

“You occupied positions of great responsibility at the school and church. These were sustained and systematic abuses for your sole sexual gratification and you gave no thought for the consequences of your victims.”

Late Queen's Former Verger: "Satan In Disguise"

The late Queen’s former verger, who molested one Southwark Cathedral chorister and another boy at a boarding school, has been described in court as “Satan in disguise.”

Clive McCleester, 77, once served at Windsor Castle’s St. George’s Chapel and oversaw visitors to the Queen Mother’s tomb and helped organise royal funerals. 

McCleester, who lives in the Grade I-listed Hospital of St. Cross almshouse in St. Cross Road, Winchester was remanded in custody to be sentenced at Inner London Crown Court.

“It is my responsibility to pass a significant sentence of imprisonment on you,” Judge Jane Rowley told him. “I need to reflect on the harrowing evidence I have heard.”

The surviving victim and relatives of the deceased complainant packed the courtroom during an emotionally-charged hearing in which live impact statements were read out.

McCleester pleaded guilty to three counts of indecently assaulting a now-deceased victim on up to 100 occasions between January 1, 1968 and December 18, 1970.

Those counts reflect his time employed as a child welfare officer at Tylney Hall School, Hampshire between 1960 and 1971 before moving on to work at a children’s home.

McCleester lived at the boarding school in his own private residence, with a particular role in looking after the 13 year-old victim after the death of the boy’s grandmother.

After a life of drink and drug abuse to blank-out the memories of McCleester, the victim suffered a massive panic attack when police told him they were investigating the defendant and he suffered a fatal heart attack in August, 2020.

McCleester pleaded guilty to four counts of indecently assaulting the Southwark Cathedral victim between July 28, 1986 and July 27, 1987 and three counts of indecency with a child between the same dates.

This victim was a 13 year-old Southwark Cathedral choirboy, abused at McCleester’s flat within the vicarage.

Prosecutor Catherine Donnelly told the court: “ Both complainants were sexually abused when they were young boys. Over the years he took advantage of his role to sexually abuse young boys.”

In his child welfare role McCleester had particular responsibility for the now-deceased victim, but the sexual abuse began on the same day as the funeral of the young boy’s grandmother.

“He took the boy for a walk in the wooded area of the school grounds.”

There, intimate sexual abuse occurred, continuing in the defendant’s room, where he would strip the boy and molest him - also striking during bath time - two or three times a week.

In a victim impact statement the dead victim’s sister told the court: “He is Satan in disguise and deserves to go to hell. We hope he gets a long jail sentence and rots in jail. For me this man is pure evil.”

The Southwark Cathedral choirboy was invited by McCleester to his accommodation with the promise of Chinese takeaways, plied with wine and sexually abused.

He was also stripped naked and intimately molested by McCleester, who took him to a gay shop and bought him black leather underwear and a skin-tight fishnet vest.

As an adult he even helped McCleester beat a similar charge in 2003, giving evidence at Inner London Crown Court, where the defendant was cleared of abusing another Southwark Cathedral choirboy.

Now 48 years-old the victim told the court in his impact statement: “He fully exploited me for his sexual gratification. He has got away with his vile acts his whole life.”

Father Reg Trial: Priest Found Guilty

Guilty: Father Reg

A Roman Catholic priest, who fondled a 17 year-old boy flutist between the legs after treating him to a Wembley Arena opera three decades ago, has finally been convicted.

Father Reginald Dunkling, 63, allowed the teenager - who played flute in a church band - to sleepover at Our Lady of Muswell in north London.

Wood Green Crown Court heard that during the night he lay on the bedroom floor and forced his hand under the covers, molesting the boy over his boxer shorts.

Dunkling - known as Father Reg - of Chequers End, Gadsden Row, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire was found guilty of one count of indecently assaulting the boy on a day between April 1992 and April 1993.

After six hours of deliberation following three days of evidence the remaining eleven jurors convicted him by a majority of 10-1.

“There will need to be a pre-sentence report and I agree it was an abuse of trust,” announced Judge Rachael Harrison.

“I am making no promises about what the sentence will be. The starting point is twenty-six weeks custody on the current guidelines.”

Father Dunkling’s lawyer Tanya Panagiotopoulou said: “There will also have to be medical reports. There are complex medical issues as he is awaiting surgery for bowel cancer and amputation of his foot.”

Bailing the priest until October 13 the judge told him: “I appreciate this procedure has been difficult for you and you said you didn’t do this, but the jury have said that you did.”

Father Reg Trial: Priest Tells Jury He Did Not Molest Teen

A Roman Catholic priest, accused of fondling a 17 year-old boy flutist between the legs after treating him to a Wembley Arena opera, told a jury the offence never happened.

Father Reginald Dunkling, 63, is accused of allowing the teenager - who played flute in a church band - to sleepover at Our Lady of Muswell in north London and then sneaked into his bedroom.

Wood Green Crown Court heard the priest lay down on the bedroom floor and forced his hand under the covers, molesting the boy over his boxer shorts.

Dunkling - known as Father Reg - of Chequers End, Gadsden Row, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire has pleaded not guilty to one count of indecently assaulting the boy on a day between April 1992 and April 1993.

He told the trial he entered the priesthood, aged 18 years-old and was ordained six years later.

Father Dunkling said it was not just the music-loving teenager he took to live events, but any parishioner who wanted one of his free tickets.

“I had a lot of contacts in the West End and Theatreland and I was fortunate to be offered a lot of tickets. When you’re offered a freebie you take it because you can’t afford it.”

He denied laying on his hotel bed with the then-15 year-old complainant while holding his hand and telling the boy he was in love with him during a Lourdes trip.

“I have no recollection, no,” said the priest, suggesting the boy may have mixed-up his spiritual message.

“It was my responsibility to preach the Gospel of love. One of our mantras is: ‘You are loved. You are loved by the church, you are loved by God.’

“I would not be lying on the bed with him and I have told hundreds, maybe thousands of people they are loved. 

“I would have no reason to be in a bedroom with him, holding his hand.

“I was not in love with him, I can categorically say that. That was my mantra, that was my work to preach the Gospel. Many of them felt unloved by their families and I was just doing my job.”

Shortly afterwards the youngster joined Father Dunkling and another man on a trip to Tenerife, where he says the clergyman got drunk and complained: “You don’t love me.”

“I can’t say that I would have been drunk, but we would have a drink after dinner, we were on holiday. If I did that I would remember that.”

The priest conceded he did take the complainant to a Wembley Arena opera once, but denied molesting him at the Mussel Hill priest’s house afterwards.

Prosecutor David Harounoff asked: “Can you think of any motive why these three people should say things about you? referring to the complainant, a Lourdes witness and a female confidant.

“I have been asking myself that question since the police knocked on my door,” replied Father Dunkling. “That morning I was woken at 6.30am by four police officers. I was in total and utter shock.

“I was in my bedroom and I was terrified. It was dreadful, I was so embarrassed, I was humiliated.

“I was put in a holding cell for seven hours and talking about it now brings back bad feelings. I was offered a glass of warm water on one of the hottest days of the year and the officers went out for lunch.”

He told police he had “no recall” of the complainant being part of the Lourdes trip. “Are you trying to distance yourself from him?” asked the prosecutor.  

He also denied telling the officers he took the youngster to an opera and spending ‘one-on-one time with the male. “Are you distancing because you know the assault was after the opera?” questioned Mr Harounoff.

“I was not deliberately misleading the police officers,” replied the priest. 

When accused of not being truthful during police questioning he said: “I was extremely upset and nervous and felt threatened.”

Mr Harounoff said: “I suggest you were sexually attracted to him from the age of fifteen when you told him you loved him. It was not a spiritual thing you were communicating.”

Trial continues…………. 

Priest Trial: "He Just Stroked And Stroked And Stroked And I Just Froze"

A Roman Catholic priest, accused of fondling a 17 year-old boy flutist between the legs three decades ago, told police who arrested him: “Certainly if I did it, I’d remember it.”

Father Reginald Dunkling, 63, allowed the teenager - who played flute in a church band - to sleepover at Our Lady of Muswell in north London after they attended a Wembley Arena opera.

Wood Green Crown Court heard that during the night he lay on the bedroom floor and pushed his hand under the covers, rubbing the boy over his boxer shorts for nearly a minute.

Dunkling - known as Father Reg - of Chequers End, Gadsden Row, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire has pleaded not guilty to one count of indecently assaulting the boy on a day between April 1992 and April 1993.

The complainant, who was screened from the priest, told the jury: “I remember Father Reg coming into the room, lying down on the floor next to the bed and putting his hand under the covers.

“He said: ‘Have you had a man do this before?’ I got out at first light as soon as I could.”

Father Dunkling’s lawyer Tanya Panagiotopoulou asked: “Is it possible what was done was by someone else? I suggest this defendant never came into the room you were sleeping in.”

“I’m afraid I know what Father Reg looks like and sounds like,” replied the man. 

Two years earlier the priest declared his love for the then-15 year-old during a church trip to Lourdes, when he was Youth Chaplain, the court heard.

“I always knew it was significant because it happened once in my life. A grown man saying he had fallen in love with me.

“I was 15 years-old and felt confused and trapped. He said: ‘You must know what I’m going to say to you. I’m in love with you.’

“He had made it clear he wanted me to visit his room and we lay down on the bed and he held my hand. I kind of froze.

“I remember feeling trapped, almost claustrophobic and he was a priest. It was a big deal.”

Abuse Claim: Father Dunkling Leaving Court

Father Dunkling’s lawyer suggested: “To say ‘you are loved’ and ‘I love you’ was a stock phrase to the youth as was holding hands.

“Do you accept being loved is part of the sermon? May you have misunderstood Father Dunkling?”

The man rejected the priest’s account, declaring: “That is not the case. I wouldn’t be standing here otherwise.”

Shortly afterwards he was taken on holiday to Tenerife by Father Dunkling and another man. “I remember feeling deeply uncomfortable because of this baggage.

“I have a memory of him being very drunk and exclaiming: ‘You don’t love me.’ I couldn’t wait to get home.”

His parents had no worries about the Tenerife trip. “They would see going away on a trip with a priest as being the safest possible.”

He also recalled Father Dowling taking him for an Italian meal and ordering him wine, but was not sure if that was the same night as the charge.

Ten years later he met the priest after performing with his band at the Hammersmith Apollo. “I remember him being quite drunk that night and he said he always knew I would do well.

“I over-compensated and was Uber-friendly and I was angry on the way home and threw a bottle across the street, saying: ‘This is insane.’

“I had a very long conversation in 2012 with the police about Father Reg, but I did not want to do anything about it. I wanted to move on.

“I didn’t want my family to think they had somehow let me down and not protected me.”

A witness from the Lourdes trip told the jury he caught the priest trying to gain entry to the complainant’s room. “I heard knocking on the door and it was Father Reg trying to get in. He was drunk.

“He looked at me and swore at me. He told me to go away in no uncertain terms and I told him to go away.

“Ten to fifteen minutes later he was back, knocking on the door and I told him to go away and I stayed in the corridor to make sure he did not come back.”

A female friend of the complainant told the trial he told her about Father Dunkling’s abuse thirty years ago. “He said Father Reg had made unwanted advances and expressed feelings for him.

“He had touched him physically and in a sexual manner. I remember something about a bedroom, but it is hazy.”

Metropolitan police officers from Operation Winter Key arrested Father Dunkling on June 16, 2020 and asked him if he molested the complainant.

“No, never, absolutely not,” insisted the priest, saying he was never alone with the youngster in a Lourdes or Mussel Hill bedroom.

Previously the jury were shown a video-recorded interview the man gave to police in which he explained: “I remember him going through the covers and just stroking me over the top of my shorts. 

“He stroked and stroked and stroked and I just froze.

“He was a charismatic, interesting, likeable guy that introduced me to theatres and musicals. Stuff I ended up doing as a living. I kind of idolised him.”

Regarding the Lourdes trip the complainant added: “He asked me to stay in his room, which didn’t seem odd to me. I was very naive.

“He held my hand and told me: ‘I’m in love with you,’ and I kind of froze. He did not touch me at that point, but it was all about how he was in love with me.”

The man did not report Dunkling after the Muswell Hill sleepover two years later. “I remember him being very drunk and I brushed it off a bit, thinking it was a big mistake, but as I got older I became more angry.”

Between those incidents he went on a Tenerife holiday with the defendant and another man. “Father Reg spent time with my family and my mother’s attitude was: ‘He’s a priest, of course he is okay.’

“It is very odd for a 15 year-old boy to go on holiday with two grown men and during it he would shout: ‘You don’t love me.’ It was a very odd couple of weeks.”  

Prosecutor David Harounoff told the jury: “The defendant is a priest and in 2013 the complainant was contacted by the police, who were investigating offences, but he declined to co-operate.

“In 2020 the Diocese of Westminster undertook a safeguarding review and the complainant decided he wanted to co-operate and the police interviewed him.

“As a teenager he was involved with the Church of Our Lady Help of Christians in Kentish Town and developed a relationship with Father Reginald Dunkling.

“He was a gifted flute player in the church band and describes this defendant as charismatic and interesting and he took him to the theatre and to a trip to Lourdes with others.”

Aged just fifteen, the boy was invited into Father Dunkling’s room, where the priest told him: “I’m in love with you,” the jury were told.

There was no physical contact until the night of the Wembley Arena opera, the trial heard.

“When he was 17 years-old he stayed with this priest in Muswell Hill after the show and meal,” explained Mr Harounoff. 

“He says he was asleep when this defendant entered the bedroom and lay on the floor beside him, placed his hand under the bed covers and stroked him over his boxer shorts.

“The complainant said he did not like it and to use his words ‘bolted’ the next morning at 5am.

“Ten years later he saw Father Dunkling at a music function in Hammersmith and says this defendant looked uncomfortable.”

Another witness, who attended the Lourdes trip, will tell the jury he saw a drunken Father Dunkling knocking on the boy’s bedroom door.

He was warned off, but returned five minutes later and knocked on the door again and had to be told to go away for a second time.

“The witness stayed in the hallway until he left the vicinity of the boy’s room,” added the prosecutor.

Father Dunkling was arrested on June 16, 2020. “He was adamant absolutely nothing had happened.”

Trial continues………..