A celebrity bishop who presided at Jade Goody’s wedding and led the prayers at her wake has been found guilty of breaching a restraining order by sending malicious online messages.
Jonathan Blake, 60, “Archbishop of The Open Episcopal Church”, bombarded two victims with malicious messages over more than two years, a court heard.
He posted “abusive and humiliating” messages online, ignored repeated requests to stop contacting them and broke a restraining order imposed in December 2015.
Blake was found guilty of four counts of breaching his restraining order at Woolwich crown court and was sentenced to 100 hours community service.
He was also ordered to pay £1,000 in costs and issued with a new restraining order.
He made headlines when he carried out Britain’s first gay wedding blessing live on Richard and Judy’s This Morning TV programme in 2001, and was invited to Downing Street in 2012 in recognition of his campaigning for equal marriage.
He led the wedding blessing for Jade Goody and Jack Tweed in February 2009, shortly after the Big Brother star’s diagnosis with terminal cancer, and then took prayers at the family wake following her death a month later.
Detective Constable Anna Brown, from Greenwich CID, said: “Blake has caused his victims years of embarrassment by sending them malicious messages.
“He also caused them great distress by posting abusive and humiliating posts online.
“He has shown no remorse and continues to deny any wrongdoing. I am pleased with the jury’s decision.
"I hope Blake will reflect upon his actions and think about the harm he has caused his two victims.
“I’d like to praise them for their courage in coming forward and greatly assisting police with our investigation.
“I hope the verdict and restraining order gives them the security and peace of mind they need for the future.”
Blake, from Welling, had denied the charges but was found guilty following a three-day trial.
He said today that he would be appealing against the conviction. He had previously been convicted of harassment in 2015, when the first restraining order was imposed.
The harassment conviction was subsequently overturned on appeal in December 2016.
