Victims of former priest Edward Phillips-Smith have spoken out, stating they 'deserve more justice' following his recent two-year community sentence for historic sexual assaults. Phillips-Smith, 76, who is reportedly dying of cancer with a life expectancy of less than two years, received the sentence on Monday for abusing two boys in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The assaults occurred at his school accommodation at St Peter's Collegiate School in Wolverhampton and his home in Staffordshire.
This latest sentencing comes after Phillips-Smith was jailed for 32 months in January 2024 for abusing two other schoolboys from St Peter's. He was subsequently released on licence in May 2025 and currently resides in Essex. The Church of England issued a lifetime ban against him in January of this year. Wolverhampton Crown Court heard that the new victims came forward after media coverage of the 2024 trial, leading to Phillips-Smith admitting to abusing a total of four boys during his employment in the Lichfield Diocese.
One victim, identified as Will, who was also assaulted by Phillips-Smith during an overnight stay at the chaplain's house, expressed his profound frustration. He criticised Phillips-Smith's courtroom expression of 'remorse and his sincere apology', stating the former priest had previously claimed his actions in Will's own case were 'an isolated offence'. Will asserted, 'He's lied all the way through... To say he's remorseful, it's just absolute rubbish... he's only remorseful because he got found out.'
Will described the community sentence as 'lip service', arguing that Phillips-Smith was 'getting the benefit of the doubt because of his illness'. He added, 'People shouldn't have any sympathy because he's got cancer - I don't really care.' Will, who reported his abuse to police in 2023 after struggling with the trauma, highlighted the lasting impact, saying, 'I live it every day, I still do. I'm half the person I could have been because of what he's done.'
The court heard that Phillips-Smith, described as a 'cool and trendy' RE teacher, used his position and stature to intimidate and groom boys, inviting one to his school accommodation with a Scalextric set before abusing him. He also took charge of youngsters on school and church trips, abusing several during 'activity holidays' at his home. The Lichfield Diocese had received an allegation against Phillips-Smith relating to his time in Wolverhampton as early as 2008, and the Oxford Diocese had investigated alongside police between 1993 and 2008, though no further action was taken at that time. The Oxford Diocese later became aware of him during a past cases review conducted by all Church of England dioceses between 2019 and 2022.