A FORMER vicar will appear in court charged with assaulting a police officer and sexually assaulting a paramedic after a crash.

Three people were taken to hospital after a red Vauxhall Vectra and a black Ford S-Max car collided in Queens Park Avenue, in Billericay, shortly before 7pm on Saturday, April 19.

The driver of the Vauxhall Vectra, Lee Stephens, was arrested at the scene and is charged with assaulting a police officer, assaulting a male paramedic, sexual touching against a female paramedic, failing to provide a sample of blood for alcohol or drug analysis and using threatening behaviour against a police officer.

The 31-year-old, of Ballyloughan Road, in Richhill, County Armagh, had been working as a pastor and living in Billericay at the time.

Stephens has been released on bail to appear at Basildon Magistrates’ Court on Friday, August 1.