Sex assault counsellor facing jail (From The Northern Echo)

Sex assault counsellor facing jail

11:57am Wednesday 22nd February 2012 in News By Bruce Unwin, Chief Reporter (Durham)

A COUNSELLOR is facing a possible prison sentence after being convicted of indecently assaulting a recovering female alcoholic.

Ronald Crangle was given the warning after a jury at Durham Crown Court yesterday returned a guilty verdict on one of four charges of sexual assault, all of which he denied.

The offending incident was said to have been committed by him on a home visit to see the “vulnerable”

female client in County Durham in his role as project worker for the housing group Stonham Crangle was said by the prosecution to consider the woman, “an easy target”, and, despite being paid to help her overcome her alcohol addiction, he allowed her to drink when visiting.

Richard Bennett, prosecuting, said in previous visits Crangle would urge her partner to leave, “make smutty remarks”

and encourage her to talk about her sexual encounters.

On the day of the assault, he was said to have tried to kiss her, and grabbed her top, exposing a breast which he kissed, before she pushed him away.

He denied anything unprofessional took place when interviewed by police.

Giving evidence last Friday, however, he conceded his behaviour with the woman “crossed professional boundaries”, but was consensual and a response to sexualised behaviour by the woman.

Crangle, 64, of Kielder, Washington, Wearside, denied all four charges of sexual assault, including three relating to another female client.

He was cleared of those three charges by the jury before a unanimous guilty verdict was recorded on the fourth count on the seventh day of his trial, yesterday.

Crangle’s barrister, Julie Clemitson, asked for preparation of background probation reports before sentence is passed.

Agreeing, Recorder Adrian Waterman bailed Crangle to return for sentence next month.

But he added: “Don’t take the fact I have given you bail to mean I have formed a view as to what the outcome will be.

“Custody remains very much a live option.”

Crangle will be sentenced on a day to be confirmed in about three weeks.