A married West Bromwich vicar has been barred for 10 years following an adulterous affair with a parishioner who came to him to discuss her personal problems.

A church disciplinary tribunal this afternoon ruled that Dr Patrick Okechi, from the Church of the Good Shepherd with St John in Littleton Street, behaved in a manner “unbecoming or inappropriate to the office and work of a clerk in Holy Orders”.

The judgement, which was handed down by tribunal chairman Judge Simon Grenfell sitting in Leeds, referred to a relationship with a woman known only as Mrs A.

Judge Grenfell said: “The complainant’s case is that, following her approach to Dr Okechi about her personal problems and their becoming friends, their relationship developed into becoming a full sexual relationship as from about the spring of 2004 and continued until Dr Okechi ended it in early February 2006.”

He added: “The respondent’s case is that there was never anything other than a simple friendship between them but that she became obsessed with him to the extent of following him and ultimately harassing him until about early 2006 when he ceased to have anything to do with her. She continued to make a nuisance of herself towards him.”

The hearing was told Dr Okechi had been the incumbent of the church since 2002 and had been married to his wife, Rael Ong’ute Otosio since 1988. The couple had three children.

The judgement said that Mrs A sought out the vicar because she wanted to talk about her problems. The reverend would then go to her house for coffee. One day, as he left her house, he said he thought he loved her. An affair ensued.