A Catholic priest has been suspended and faces criminal charges after it was revealed that he entered a civil partnership with a Pakistani man to help him stay in the UK.
Fr Donald Minchew, who had converted from the Anglican Church, was suspended after admitting to entering a civil partnership in 2008 with Mustajab Hussain.
The 66-year-old told The Mail that his civil partnership to Mr Hussain, 32, was “the only way I could see of getting him in the country”, adding that he and Mr Hussain had not seen each other for “donkey’s years”.
Mr Hussain faces an investigation by the Home Office and possible deportation and Fr Minchew could face prosecution for aiding unlawful immigration through the sham civil partnership.
The civil partnership certificate shows the event took place at the register office in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, and was witnessed by David Nicholas and Edward Minchew, the priest’s brother. It records Fr Minchew’s previous marriage as having been dissolved.
Now a widower, the father of four insisted he was not gay and said Mr Hussain, a Muslim, had a wife.
Fr Minchew faces prosecution for assisting unlawful immigration.
He admitted he had not told the Catholic Church that he was in a civil partnership.
“That is an omission on my part and I will have to pay the price for it,” he said.
“You are talking to a ruined man. I am finished. End of story.”
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