The Shipley-born Army chaplain cleared of indecently assaulting a soldier's wife today declared that he wanted to remain with the Army.

In an exclusive interview with the Telegraph & Argus, Captain Richard Landall revealed he had thought long and hard about his future and had decided he wanted to remain an Army chaplain.

He is on two week's leave following the court martial and is due to report back to the MoD Chaplains HQ in Wiltshire on Tuesday, when he will learn his future.

Captain Landall, a father-of-four educated in Shipley and a member of the town's St Peter's Church since the age of 15, said: "When something like this happens and it hits the papers it's very unpleasant - it shakes you to your very foundations and you wonder whether you'll ever be able to work again.

"Doctors, nurses, priests or anyone else who finds themselves working by themselves with the opposite sex can find themselves open to certain accusations.

"If someone turns round and says the padre tried it on who's there to say he didn't and if an allegation's made it has to be examined.

"I've been tried very vigorously through a three week court martial and been found not guilty but damage has been done.

"It's psychological - you worry about things like are the blokes going to look at me and think: 'It's that sex case padre, I'm not going to let him see my wife'. Or, can I win back the trust and confidence that's been taken away not by my doing but by allegations that have been made without any foundation whatsoever?"

He added: "I don't know where my future lies - I expect to hear next week and just hope it's still with the Army because I thoroughly enjoy my job as a padre and wish to continue.''

Captain Landall, who has two daughters, aged 17 and 15 and two sons, aged 13 and ten, said his decision to remain in the forces had followed many letters and phone calls of support from people within the Army.

The chaplain said the support of his family, particularly his identical twin brother David, of Kirkgate, Shipley, who was at the court martial with him, and his faith had helped him over the last seven months.

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