A married vicar has been suspended from his job after he was arrested on suspicion of voyeurism.
The Rev Richard Lee, 48, has been on police bail since the summer while officers investigate the case.
Police yesterday refused to reveal details of the claims against him.
Mr Lee is the Church of England vicar for two Somerset village churches near Weston-super-Mare, St Augustine’s in Locking and St Mary’s in Hutton, where his 47-year-old wife, the Rev Anne Lee, also works.
He is also the co-ordinator of a local music group called WWJD.
The couple – who met while studying to be vicars and have two children – moved from their previous parish in Kent five years ago.
Yesterday members of his previous congregation expressed shock at his arrest.
A female parishioner at All Saints Church in Hempstead, Kent, said: ‘Richard was really popular here. He got on with everyone.
'I’m pretty shocked to hear [of his arrest].’
Last night it was not clear whether or not Mrs Lee is still officiating at services while her husband is on police bail.
The vicar, who grew up in Fowey, Cornwall, is according to a social networking site profile, interested in ‘anything to do with railways’, sailing, reading, walking, the theatre, cinema and listening to and playing music.
A spokesman for the Diocese of Bath and Wells said: ‘We can confirm that the Rev Richard Lee was arrested in July 2012.’
Culled from THE TELEGRAPH
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