Vicar suspected of murdering baby boy

Shocked parishioners have said prayers at a church where their vicar is under arrest for murdering a baby.

Reverend Jim Percival, aged 64, the vicar of Holy Trinity CE Church in Freckleton, Lancashire, was arrested earlier this week with his wife Susan, 64, and daughter Ruth, 28, after the suspicious death of a baby boy.

Mr Percival and his daughter are being questioned on suspicion of murder and conspiracy to conceal the birth of a child.

His wife is being quizzed on suspicion of conspiracy to conceal the birth of a child.

Yesterday, locals in the village close to the Fylde coast spoke of their shock.

And at Mr Percival’s own church, parishioners said prayers for the vicar and his family at a service led by Reverend Terry Scholz, also from Holy Trinity Church. “I simply said they could not be unaware of the tragedy that had befallen them, Reverend Percival and his family,” he said.

Mr Scholz said it would be wrong to “jump to conclusions” and said the wider “Church family” of parishioners at Holy Trinity would now pull together.

He added: “They are all nice people and, like any family going through difficult times, they will pull together. Like any family when it’s going through troubles, you close ranks. They are all upset and concerned.”

The arrests on Tuesday came after police were called to an address in Freckleton — believed to be the vicarage — shortly before 6pm on November 25, following an initial report that a woman had given birth to a stillborn baby. Locals said an ambulance was seen at the large detached house, followed soon afterwards by police.

Police cars and vans then came and went from the house, at the end of a secluded lane next to a farm, throughout last week.

Asked how long people had known of police activity at the vicar’s house, one local replied: “This is a village. Nano-seconds.”

More police activity continued at the house as a van arrived with half a dozen officers, who carried a large toolbox into the house.

A neighbour said: “It’s all a bit of a shock. They are a quiet family. We only know them to say hello. I didn’t even know the daughter was pregnant.”

Mr Percival came to the parish from Great Harwood in Lancashire 11 years ago.

His daughter Ruth is believed to have previously worked in a care home.

In a statement, Lancashire Constabulary said:

“A 64-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman from Freckleton have been arrested on suspicion of murder, conspiracy to conceal the birth of a child... and a 65-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to conceal the birth of a child. They are all currently in custody.The police investigation continues.”