Sex attack preacher loses appeal

Douglas Goodman has lost an appeal for a shorter sentence

BBC News/March 10, 2005

An evangelist preacher who was jailed for sexually assaulting members from his congregation has lost an appeal. Douglas Goodman, 47, of Northampton, was sentenced to three-and-a-half years last May for the attacks.

At the Court of Appeal in London, Goodman's legal team argued his sentence was "excessive".

Justice Findlay Baker rejected the appeal, saying Goodman had committed a "serious breach of trust" and his crimes had a "serious effect."

The charismatic preacher was convicted of two indecent assaults, of perverting the course of justice, and an attempted sex assault.

The attempted indecent assault, which had seen Goodman take a young woman in his car and try to kiss her after suggesting they share a hotel room together, was particularly "inappropriate" behaviour for a man in his position, he added.