‘Children attacked sex charge vicar’ (From Oxford Mail)

‘Children attacked sex charge vicar’

9:27am Friday 10th November 2006 in News By Ruth Keeling

An Oxfordshire clergyman accused of child abuse needed a police escort from court after being attacked by South African street kids.

Father Tony Hogg, 52, appeared before a magistrate in Cape Town, South Africa, on Wednesday accused of indecently assaulting a 10-year-old street child in April.

Magistrate M Esau was told Hogg, of St James the Great Church in West Hanney, had received threats since he was charged.

Advocate William King said: "People have been making threats against him."

It was revealed Hogg had been attacked by an angry mob of street children outside the court at his last appearance.

On Wednesday senior police officers escorted Hogg and his attorney from the court to their car.

Protesters, claiming children's rights should be protected, lined the street.

They were thought to be mostly street children involved in the One-Love project in the city.

Magistrate Esau postponed the case until Monday for a decision from the Director of Public Prosecutors office on future court proceedings.

Hogg stepped down from his work when the allegations emerged.

Parish curate Father Stephen James took over, at the request of the Bishop of Reading, Rt Rev Stephen Cottrell.