Portsoken aldermanic candidate William Campbell-Taylor was forced to defend himself against allegations of sexual abuse this week, after becoming the target of a direct mail campaign in the Middlesex Street Estate.
Flyers accusing the Anglican priest of grooming “a vulnerable male” were distributed to Portsoken residents late last week, just over a fortnight before voters head to the polls to decide who will be the ward’s next alderman to replace the retiring Sir Michael Bear.
The flyers contain an article from orthodox anglican website virtue.org outlining a court case in which Mr Campbell-Taylor is alleged to have solicited oral sex from an unnamed male victim, and then attempted to prosecute him for speaking out. Mr Campbell-Taylor described the allegations as “false” and “defamatory”.
“This material is the work of one individual, who has been stalking and harassing William for a decade,” his spokesperson said.
“There is a ten-year restraint order in place against this individual.”
William Campbell-Taylor speaks out over cyber smear campaign
The restraining order, issued by Thames Magistrates’ Court on 9 January, 2017 and seen by City Matters, prohibits the individual from making any reference to or about Mr Campbell-Taylor and his wife that “is likely to cause them harassment, alarm or distress”.
The individual, whose name has been redacted from the order, is also prohibited from making any direct contact with Mr Campbell-Taylor or knowingly attend a church where he holds office as priest.
At this stage there is no evidence linking the individual to the flyers, which have been distributed on behalf of The City Foundation, an organisation that, according to Mr Campbell-Taylor, “does not exist”.
The City Foundation’s website lists an address in Chicago and advertises “community and social change” services. The letter proposes to ban religious clergy from standing in political elections and directs people to sign a petition on change.org.
Neither virtue.org or The City Foundation responded to City Matters’ request for comment.
