Former Swansea and Brecon bishop admits indecent assault on child

Mr Pierce has been remanded on bail and a provisional date of 7 March has been set for sentencing at Swansea Crown Court, the church said.

Allegations came to the church’s attention in 2023 when the survivor made a disclosure to its safeguarding officer.

It said the disclosure was immediately passed to the police.

It added following sentencing, the Church in Wales Disciplinary Tribunal would consider further appropriate action.

A statement said: “The Church in Wales is appalled at the offences which have been revealed in this case and expresses its deepest sympathy with the victim for the abuse they have suffered.”

“It is a cause of the most profound shame that a priest in the Church in Wales should have been convicted of such shocking crimes,” it added.

The church said some members may have been aware of a further allegation made against Mr Pierce in 1993 and said it had commissioned an immediate review into how this was handled.

“There is no place for any form of abuse in the Church in Wales. We give the highest priority to the care and protection of children and vulnerable people in our communities.

“To this end we regularly review our safeguarding procedures and provide extensive training to staff and volunteers,” it added.