A KEIGHLEY church minister has been found guilty of sexual offences against five female members of his congregation.

Following a six-week trial, a jury at Bradford Crown Court found John Wilson, 70, of Shann Avenue, Keighley, guilty on 14 charges of indecent assault, three of conspiracy to commit indecent assault and one of sexual assault.

Wilson, a former pastor of Liberty Pentecostal Church, was cleared last week of two counts of rape, 11 counts of indecent assault and one allegation of conspiracy to commit indecent assault made by a total of seven women.

His wife, Mary Wilson, 79, was found guilty of two charges of aiding and abetting indecent assault. She had earlier been cleared of one charge of conspiracy to commit indecent assault.

Church pastor Laurance Peterson, 59, of Eric Street, Keighley, was found guilty of three charges of conspiracy to commit indecent assault and two charges of aiding and abetting indecent assault.

Last week he was acquitted of one offence of conspiracy to commit indecent assault and a count of aiding and abetting indecent assault.

The abuse occurred in the church’s prayer room and at Wilson’s home.

All three defendants had denied the charges which occurred between 1984 and 2010.

The victims said Wilson had wanted to rid them of demons and evil spirits with “deliverance” sessions.

The women were emotional and vulnerable at the time and had turned to the church for comfort and guidance.

All said Wilson had appeared kind and caring.

One of the victims, now in her 80s, had said she was assaulted during a prayer session at Wilson’s home when his wife and Peterson were present,

Adjourning the case to September 28 for sentencing, Judge David Hatton QC asked for pre-sentence reports for both Peterson and Mrs Wilson.

He granted conditional bail that neither make or attempt to make any contact with the prosecution witnesses in the case and to live and sleep at their respective home addresses.

He told Wilson: “It is unnecessary to order, in your case, a pre-sentence report.

“On September 28 you will be brought to this court and until then I will remand you in custody.”

He told the jury: “You have all invested a considerable chunk of your time in listening to a lot of evidence and a good deal of it complex.

“I am always conscious that serving on a jury, as you have done, is an enormous responsibility, making important decisions.”