Jury concludes Jonathan Fletcher’s decades-long indecent assaults

Former Minister Found to Have Committed Indecent Assault Over Decades

A jury has determined that Jonathan Fletcher, once a minister at Emmanuel Church Wimbledon, engaged in indecent assaults on a man over a span of more than two decades, with incidents dating from 1973 to 1999.

The assaults often involved Fletcher striking the man’s bare buttocks with a gym shoe, a practice he dubbed “six of the best.”

During a two-day hearing, the jury concluded that the acts occurred. The final assault, reportedly particularly harsh, happened in the 1990s and left the victim contemplating suicide.

Fletcher, now in his mid-80s, was absent from the proceedings and will not face a typical criminal trial or sentencing. In late 2025, a judge deemed him unfit to plead due to his dementia, leading to the substitution of a full trial on eight counts of indecent assault and one charge of grievous bodily harm with intent with an examination-of-the-facts process. This legal procedure allows a jury to establish the occurrence of the alleged acts without leading to a conviction or punishment.

Fletcher served as the minister at Emmanuel Church Wimbledon from 1982 until his retirement in 2012 and held a prominent position within conservative evangelical Anglican circles. Previous independent reports and investigations had already raised concerns about his conduct, including allegations of inappropriate physical “discipline,” naked massages, and power abuse over several years.

The court viewed a police interview with the complainant, who described Fletcher’s demeanor during the incidents: “He would just get it over with. Always six strokes. He gave the impression he found it distasteful … regrettable but necessary.” The beatings were described as “spiritual discipline, promoting holiness in life.”

Fletcher admitted to striking the man’s bare buttocks but denied any sexual intent behind his actions.

The beatings were typically portrayed as punishment or discipline related to masturbation. The victim alleged that Fletcher would not only administer beatings but also request him to masturbate in his presence to illustrate the act’s shamefulness. Disturbingly, if the victim refused, Fletcher would reportedly masturbate himself.