David Oakley, the 70-year-old Bishop of Northampton, has made his first court appearance after being charged with two counts of rape against a female under the age of 16. The charges follow an investigation by Staffordshire Police.
Mr Oakley appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court via videolink from his lawyer's office. He was not asked to enter a plea during the hearing, as Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring sent the case to the Old Bailey.
The alleged incidents took place in Staffordshire between February 2000 and February 2001, when Mr Oakley was in his mid-40s and working as a Catholic priest. He was released on bail with conditions not to contact the alleged victim or her family.
Mr Oakley retains the title of Bishop but has withdrawn from public ministry. The Catholic Diocese of Northampton has previously stated that it recognises the case is "very distressing for all concerned."