Abuse lawyer welcomes sentencing of former Catholic priest Dennis Finbow for historic child abuse

In a hearing today 10 October 2025, Finbow, now in his late 70s, was sentenced to 11 years in prison, extending his current sentence for a previous conviction in 2023.  

Finbow previously appeared at Peterborough Crown Court over summer, where he admitted 15 counts of indecent assault against five victims – three females and two males – the majority of whom were under the age of 16 at the time. The offences took place between 1975 and 1992. 

These admissions came in addition to Finbow’s 2023 conviction for sexually abusing a young girl in the 1980s while working in Dogsthorpe, Peterborough. He is currently serving a six-and-a-half-year prison sentence for that offence and remains on the sex offenders’ register for life.   

The Catholic Church previously removed Finbow’s clerical status following previous convictions. He had not been in active ministry since 2001. 

Leigh Day represents a number of complainants involved in the criminal proceedings against Finbow. 

Leigh Day human rights partner Andrew Lord, who is representing survivors of abuse by Finbow, said: 

“It is down to the bravery of so many survivors that Dennis Finbow has been made to answer for his crimes. Having spoken to a number of complainants, it is clear that Finbow was an opportunistic and prolific abuser of children. Today’s sentence may bring these criminal proceedings to a close, but for many of the victims this shall be a step in the longer journey to recovery. 

“I hope that those institutions through which Finbow was able to abuse children recognise the need to also apologise to the survivors involved.”