Vicar Timothy Davis was done for ‘spiritually abusing’ a 15-year-old boy (Picture: SWNS)

A priest has become the first person to be banned from the ministry for ‘spiritually abusing’ a 15-year-old boy.

A disciplinary tribunal found Reverend Timothy Davis, in his 50s, guilty of misconduct that included him ‘unacceptably pressuring’ the teenager after he moved into his family home as part of a church mentor scheme.

Senior PC admits he could have done more in custody death of mentally ill black man

They stressed however there was no suggestion any sexual abuse took place.

But the priest’s actions, between 2011 and 2012, were still said to be damaging.


They included forcing the boy to undertake two-hour private prayer sessions in his bedroom after asking his parents if they could move the one-on-one meetings there.



Davis would also hug the teenager and went to the cinema and theatre alone with him.

MORE: RAF veteran has no family or friends to mourn him at funeral

Southwark Cathedral in London (Picture: Getty Images)

‘During prayer they laid hands on each other’s head, shoulders, chest and back,’ the report from The Bishop’s Disciplinary Tribunal said.

‘They also played a ‘trust’ game whereby one of them would fall backwards to be caught by the other.’

At one point Davis described the teenager’s girlfriend as evil, the boy said.

The report added: ‘Mr Davis became angry if the boy did not ring him or respond to his texts.

‘At times Mr Davis was in tears in the presence of him.’

The teenager and his family were members of Davis’ congregation in Abingdon, Oxfordshire.

His mother said her and her husband did not intervene because they did not want to suffer the wrath of God.

‘There was no way I could have told him that the mentoring should stop,’ she said.

‘We were frightened of the consequences and what God would do.

‘Tim (Davis) was saying things that were scaring me. It was not the God I knew.’

MORE: Good Morning Britain viewers torn over ‘bully’ dad who made his son run to school in the rain

The report concluded: “The imbalance in the relationship is obvious and it is of grave concern that Mr Davis could not see that at the time, nor recognise it now.

The Diocese of Oxford also condemned his actions, with spokesman adding: ‘Abuse of spiritual authority and power falls far short of the obligations and duties of those in Holy Orders.

‘The findings of the tribunal show that, sadly, Tim Davis betrayed the trust of everyone involved in a youth mentoring program at Christ Church Abingdon.

Builder 'shot wife's secret lover and burned his body in a rusty oil drum'

‘None more so than the young man and his family who offered their home and hospitality to him.

‘The behaviour and actions of Tim Davis during this period are in no way reflective of acceptable church practice.

It said it supported the findings and was awaiting the decision on the penalty.

Davis was previously banned from his ministry for two years for the abuse.



The hearing was held in December, but the ruling he breached Church of England safeguarding procedures was made last week at Southwark Cathedral.

MORE: New porn law which requires ID on all sites ‘is put back until later this year’

MORE: What does PETA stand for and why were they protesting at Crufts?