The Bishop of Northampton, Bishop David Oakley, has been charged with two counts of rape involving a girl under the age of 16, Staffordshire Police have announced.

Police said Bishop David James Oakley, 70, of Desborough, Northamptonshire, was charged following an investigation by the force’s Rape and Serious Sexual Offences team. The charges follow his arrest in September 2025 after an allegation was reported to police.

Oakley is due to appear before Cannock Magistrates’ Court on August 14.

In a statement, the Diocese of Northampton confirmed that the charges arose from an investigation into “non-recent safeguarding allegations”. The diocese said: “We understand that this will be very distressing for all concerned but cannot comment further on an active legal process.”

Bishop Oakley withdrew from public ministry in 2025 after the police investigation began. Canon Michael Harrison, the diocesan Vicar General, has since been leading the governance of the diocese on an interim basis.

Oakley was appointed Bishop of Northampton by Pope Francis in 2020.

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