Disgraced church pastor Walter Masocha, who was jailed for sexually abusing women, is appealing his conviction, claiming people had “come together and conspired” against him. Masocha, a religious leader who purported to work miracles and speak directly to God, was convicted of four charges at the High Court in Livingston in July 2025.
The crimes took place between January 2006 and July 2012 in Stirling and Edinburgh, relating to the sexual abuse of two women. The judge who jailed him said he had taken advantage of his position and acted as an “opportunistic sexual predator”. Police described his crimes as “abhorrent”.
Appeal Hearing
At the Court of Appeal on Thursday, Masocha’s lawyer, Mark Moir KC, argued that there had been a miscarriage of justice as Masocha’s bid for a Section 275 application at his trial had not been accepted. A Section 275 application allows for evidence around the sexual history or character of a complainer to be heard in court.
Mr Moir also said there had been a “campaign by a former docket witness against the appellant and she was inviting people to come forward”. He said Masocha believed the complainers had “come together and conspired” against him. Mr Moir also appealed against Masocha’s 10-year jail sentence, saying it was “excessive in all circumstances”. The appeal, which is opposed by prosecutors, will be considered by a panel of three judges, including Lord Beckett.
Sentencing Remarks
Issuing his sentence on Masocha in July 2025, Judge Craig said Masocha had abused the trust of his victims. He stated: “You sexually abused both of them in what can only be described as the grossest breach of trust on your part. You hold yourself out to be a religious leader who speaks directly to God and espouses the highest standards of probity. However, in reality, you are nothing more than an opportunistic sexual predator indiscriminatingly taking advantage of those who should have been able to trust you the most.”
The judge continued: “(The victims) ranged in age, background and experience but the common denominator was that they worshiped you – literally – believed you to be a prophet who could work miracles and placed their complete faith in you. You told your victims they had been given to you by God, that your hands and lips were holy and they were blessed to have been touched by you. It was that belief that gave you access but you took sexual advantage of them in whatever way and whenever you felt like doing so.”
