Documentary record Bound by Fear
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Conviction Christian institutions & contexts Other or denomination not established York and Pocklington, England, United Kingdom · 2017

Methodist minister John Price convicted of abusing boys from his congregations under a 'hypnosis' ritual

Record class

Core record

Evidence status

Convicted

Authority role

Methodist minister

Organization

Methodist Church (York and Pocklington circuits)

Spiritual nexus

The victims were boys from Price's own congregations whom he invited to his home in his capacity as their minister; he used a purported hypnosis ritual, framed through that ministerial standing, as the method of the assaults.

  • Pastoral or clerical authority
  • Ritual, oath, or initiation

Evidence structure

Proceedings

  1. 2017-05-16 · conviction and sentence

    Teesside Crown Court, England. Retired Methodist minister John Price was convicted on thirteen counts of indecent assault against four boys aged 11–17 from his churches during the 1970s–80s, using a purported 'hypnosis' ritual as his method. He was sentenced to over eight years and died in prison in 2020.

Documented coercion mechanisms

  • ministerial authority to invite congregation boys to his home
  • a purported 'hypnosis' ritual used as the method of abuse

Primary record

Sources

official prosecuting authority conviction release Crown Prosecution Service, 'Former church minister jailed for historical sex offences' (16 May 2017).

The CPS records Price's conviction on thirteen counts of indecent assault against boys from his congregations and the sentence imposed.

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