13.4.2000 News from Wigan

News Report Archive 13th April 2000

PRIEST REMAINS IN HIDING AFTER AFFAIR REVEALED

A Wigan priest is still agonising over whether to choose the church or the woman he has been having an affair with for four years.
Rev Mark Worden remains in hiding four weeks after he disappeared from his presbytery at St Aidan's in Winstanley.
A spokesman for the archbishop of Liverpool confirmed that the priest had yet to make a decision over his future. He added, "The situation is still the same. There are no plans to permanently replace Rev Worden."
Parishioners at St Aidan's were shocked when news broke that the popular priest, known locally as Father Mark, had been having an affair with Liverpool woman Sue Miles. It is believed the couple had been friends for 10 years. In recent times the priest had been carrying out his parochial duties during the week and leaving on Fridays to stay with his partner in Maghull at the weekend, returning to take mass on Saturday evening.
Rev Worden confessed to the Archbishop of Liverpool and the Most Reverend Patrick Kelly released a statemnet to parishioners which said the priest needed "some peace, quiet and space".
Father Mark, also a governor at St Aidan's Primary school has said he does not want to be portrayed as a troubled priest, but wants to speak out against what he sees as the church's outdated attitudes to relationships and sex.

CASE AGAINST FORMER COACH COLLAPSES

The case against a former athletics coach accused of raping schoolgirls has collapsed.
Recorder Anthony Gee QC, ruled that the hearing into the serious allegations could not go ahead because 76 year-old George Kirk was unfit to appear at Bolton Crown Court.
The defendant, of Roundmoor Road, Standish, had to be taken to hospital last Monday-as reported on last week's newspage-just minutes before the case was to begin. It is believed stress had caused him to collapse and remain unconscious for 24 hours. He was released from hospital two days later, but Recorder Gee QC said he felt the continuation of the trial would accelerate Kirk's declining mental and physical state and make a future hearing impossible. He also said his decision would spare the alleged victims the trauma of having to give evidence in the witness box.
However, one of the women, who was in her early teens when the alleged crimes took place and is now in her late twenties, said she was distraught that Kirk would not be facing the charges. She said, "In my view he's getting away with it. I had to relive a lot of bad memories in the hope he would be punished, now it seems like it's been a waste of time."
It was alleged that between 1970 and 1985 Kirk, a former coach for the all-girl running group the Eagles, had carried out several rapes and indecent assaults. Before he collapsed last Monday, it had been decided by a jury that an ordinary criminal trial would not take place because his depressive mental state meant that he was unfit to plead and defend himself in court.
Instead, the defendant would be involved in a finding of the facts hearing. He would not need to enter a plea and the jury would not find him guilty or not guilty, but would say whether the evidence they heard from the alleged victims was true. This would have meant that Kirk could never have been convicted and punishment would have taken the form of a hospital order so he could receive treatment for his depression.
In making his decision, Recorder Gee, QC said, "I have found this a very difficult and troublesome matter. I have bore in mind the interests of the defendant and the alleged victims and the public interest."
The case against Kirk could only go ahead in the future if it could be proved his mental and physical state had improved.

NEIGHBOUR BETRAYS FRIEND TO FEED GAMBLING ADDICTION

A mother of two offered to look after a neighbour's cats , and then stole more than �3,000 using her credit card and cheque book.
Mary Bayliss said she would care for the four pets during the day while Rachel Ramsey went out to work, but betrayed her friend's trust and withdrew the cash to feed her gambling addiction.
The 50 year-old of Morton Avenue, Poolstock, pleaded guilty to the offence at Wigan Magistrate's Court on Monday and was given 100 hours community service and 18 months probation.
Miss Ramsey,25, a rental operator for a refrigerator vehicle firm in Chorley, moved to Wigan three and a half years ago. She said Mrs Bayliss was quick to befriend her and seemed to be a "typical next door neighbour".
"She advised me to change the locks and offered to close the curtains at night if I was away, as well as feed the cats. She would come round with her wedding photographs and for a cup of coffee all the time."
This arrangement continued for some time but between October 21st 1999 and February 3rd this year, Bayliss took an Abbey National cheque book and credit card which were delivered through he door, signed the card with her own signature and then went out on a spending spree.
There were 59 transcations in total, which included �781 from the Spar in Whelley, �260 from Sainsbury's in Marus Bridge, �651 from Morrisons, �381 from Asda, �163 from Kwik Save and �11 from Wallpaper Supplies. Altogether Mrs Bayliss stole �3,216. 83p.
Miss Ramsey said, "I started realising my post was going missing and asked the Royal Mail to investigate it. I had my suspicions but didn't want to believe them. Then my bank contacted me and said one of my cheques had been paid into her account.I changed the locks on the doors and when the police came round to my house, she knocked on the door and asked if everything was Ok. I told her everything was fine and said she wouldn't need to feed my cats anymore."
Mr John Rhodes, defending, said Mrs Bayliss's problems started at the beginning of 1999 when she was made redundant. She began using fruit machines in Wigan town centre amusement arcades and the problem spiralled out of control.
"She was using family finances and her second husband, who was present in court, and her two sons aged 23 and 28, knew nothing about her addiction. Mr Rhodes added, "Her husband has stayed by her and she has stopped gambling and is receiving counselling advice. She has never been in trouble before and is fully aware of what she has done and apologises."
As well as the combination order, Mrs Bayliss was ordered to pay �3,216.83p in compensation.
Miss Ramsey said the episode is still hurting her financially and she finds it difficult living next door, although she has nothing to hide.

TOWN STARS IN SIT-COM PILOT

Wigan is set for TV stardom as the backdrop in a pilot for a new sit-com series.
Specially chosen as a 'fantastic Northern town', by scriptwriter Jonathan Hayward, the famous sites of Wigan will once again be shown to audiences nationwide. Wigan's famous Wigan Pier has already featured in the BBC's "Clocking Off".
Everything about Miller is Northern, it has local actors, local scenery and Northern Soul will be used as the soundtrack.
Jonathan, who is no stranger to TV stardom and has acted in Cracker, Where the Heart Is, Queer as Folk and the film Brassed Off, has always wanted to write a sit-com and thanks to Southport based producer Phillip Berrill, his dream is to be turned into reality.
Together they have created a pilot script which will be filmed in Wigan around April 24-28. It is hoped that Miller will capture the eye of top TV companies and win them a slot on nationwide TV with a series of sitcoms.
The first scene will be taken from a rooftop overlooking Wigan with a narrator saying, "This is Wigan. A town famous in many ways, through it's people, it's history and it's culture. You've probably heard of people like George Formby, Frank Randle, Ted Ray and Roy Kinnear, they're all Wiganers. Then there's things like Uncle Joe's Mint Balls, rugby league and not forgetting the club that made Wigan the capital of Northern Soul, the unforgettable Wigan Casino."
Miller is the story of Roy Miller, a hospital laundry assistant and a victim of circumstance. Directed by Henry Irwin, of Formby, the pilot features an array of characters and a Northern Soul club which captures the essence of the sit-com and what's to come.
Jonathan, of Audenshaw in Manchester said, "I wrote the first draft of Miller about four years ago and basically put it to one side. I really wanted to make something of it and was encouraged by many people who loved the idea of it being set in Wigan. With Phillip's help, things are on the move and filming is set for the end of April, which is going to be really exciting."
Independant TV producer and presenter Phillip Berrill said, "The script is very promising, as is the backdrop of Wigan, and I am delighted to be a part of Miller. I will be producing the pilot and hopefully the TV series. I am approaching commissioning editors to promote the series and try to secure a commission to make the series."
Jonathan is hoping to seal sponsorship from Wigan-based companies who may be interested in supporting the project. He added, "This will be an ideal opportunity for local businesses to be part of this project as well as giving us the financial backing we will need to make the series."

GREGORY 'DISAPPEARS'

A group of angry rugby supporters has been forced to cancel a fan's forum after the disappearance of former Wigan star Andy Gregory.
Former Great Britain player Gregory recently left Wigan where he was landlord of the Clubhouse in Scot Lane. He is now believed to be running a bar in the Spanish town of Puerto Bernus on the Costa del Sol.
Gregory who also played for Salford, Widnes and Leeds during his highly successful career, was this week due to speak at an event organised by Hull Kingston Rovers fans, who had already snapped up more than 200 tickets for the evening.
Keith Lyon of the Hull KR supporters club admitted the news of Gregory's disappearance had come as a big disappointment. He said, "We were only told last week that he wasn't going to be coming and we haven't heard anything from him at all."
It is rumoured that several creditors, including the brewery and the bank are interested in 'speaking to' Mr Gregory.

GO AHEAD FOR HOMES

One of the areas most controversial planning applications has been approved by councillors.
They reluctantly gave Lowry Homes the go-ahead for sheltered housing apartments and private flats on glebe land in Rectory Lane opposite Wigan's only Grade 1 listed building, St Wilfrid's church in the heart of Standish.
Members heard that the latest-and now final-draft of the scheme was 'significantly different' from the developer's original plans which created anger in the community. But the planning commitee also heard that the last minute plea by ward members Couns John O'Neill and John Hilton had failed to win further concessions from the church or builders.
Lowry Homes have now been given permission for 27 sheltered apartments, converting the former parish club into two housing apartments and lounge, plus a further 23 two bedroomed apartments. It will be stone fronted in material to match up with the church and traffic engineers are to examine the feasibility of making the section of Bradley Lane fronting the project one way because of raod safety fears.
Coun O'Neill said, "We may not have been successful, but I think the three week breathing space we requested at the last meeting was worth it because the residents have been sensible and rational about this. I still feel it's an inappropriate development and I just hope when it is built I am proved wrong and it becomes a development the village can be proud of."
He had earlier warned that the Blackburn Anglican Diocesan's scheme was in danger of creating a 'major rift' in the community.
Builders Lowry Homes had originally applied for the go ahead to build a 28 apartment sheltered unit plus 22 apartments on the Anglican church owned land. These would have comprised a three-storey block of flats in Rectory Lane next to the Grade 2 listed former St Wilfred's schoolroom building, which is being retained but internally refurbished into apartments.
The redevelopment follows the Blackburn Diocesan's controversial decision to close the former Rectory Lane club and sell off the buildings for redevelopment because of their spiralling maintenance costs.