A former Gillingham vicar has been charged with voyeurism and making indecent images.

The Reverend Richard Lee, who used to officiate at All Saints’ Church in Hempstead, was arrested in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, on suspicion of the offences, in July last year.

He moved from Gillingham about five years ago to lead the congregations at St Augustine’s Church in Locking and St Mary’s Church in Hutton, near Weston, and police in the area this week revealed he had been charged with several offences.

Police in Avon and Somerset confirmed a 49-year-old man had been charged with eight voyeurism offences and 18 offences of making indecent images.

Mr Lee, who was suspended from his post when he was originally arrested, worked as a Church of England vicar in Somerset after moving from Hempstead in 2007.

When it was revealed he had been arrested, a spokesman for the Diocese of Bath and Wells confirm Mr Lee had been arrested and suspended.

Mr Lee, moved to North Somerset alongside his wife the Rev Anne Lee, who also works at the two churches in Somerset.

They met and married while studying to be vicars at college in Nottingham before working at different churches in North London and taking up posts at the same church in Hempstead, where they stayed for nine years.
The couple have two children.

When he was at All Saints’ he went for the David Beckham look to raise money for the Friends of Chernobyl’s children charity.

He had his head shaved in a Beckham-style skinhead and wore a stud earring during a service at the church.

Mr Lee had promised to shave his locks in front of his flock if he raised at least £700 in sponsorship money, but local support saw the total soar to more than £1,370.

He is due to appear at North Somerset Magistrates’ Court on Monday, February 11.