Catholic priest jailed for sexually assaulting man at his church home

A Roman Catholic priest has been jailed for 19 months after being convicted of sexually assaulting a man in the house at his church.

Father Stephen Baillie, who was the parish priest at St Joseph's Church in Clarkston, East Renfrewshire, abused his victim after they had been on a night out together.

Baillie, who has been a priest for 36 years, had denied the charge but was convicted by a jury at Paisley Sheriff Court last month.

The Diocese of Paisley previously said Baillie, who was also put on the sex offenders register for 10 years, had been removed as a parish priest.

He had served at churches in Eaglesham, Clarkston, Paisley, Barrhead and Greenock.

The trial heard his victim was physically sick after Baillie attempted to perform a sex act on him after a night out in June 2024.

The court heard how Baillie assaulted the man while he was "heavily intoxicated and unable to consent".

The attack happened after they shared a bottle of wine over dinner at a restaurant in Clarkston and drank at a bar before going to Baillie's home on Eaglesham Road.

The man told the jury that he had agreed to go to the house to call a taxi and Baillie had offered him more alcohol.

He said Baillie performed a number of sex acts on him while at the house - including when he said he needed to leave to get some air.

At one point the victim vomited and was attacked while trying to clean himself up.

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