A PREACHER who has served time for sex offences is planning to hold regular services on Canvey in memory of tragic teenager Blessing Dzimati.

Pastor Douglas Goodman, 52, leader of the Wembley-based V2V Church, maintains his innocence despite being jailed for three-and-half years in 2004.

He was found guilty of two charges of indecent assault, one of attempted indecent assault and one of perverting the course of justice.

Mr Goodman told the Echo: “I believe one of the main reasons I was found guilty is because I took the wrong advice and did not take the stand to defend myself over the charges brought against me.

“I stand by the fact I am not guilty of the charges that were brought against me. I obviously had to serve my sentence, which has only added to my life experience.

“I have an amazing family and an amazing church who have stood by me through this ordeal. I understand this is something I will always have to address and I am happy to do that.”

In 2003, Mr Goodman and his wife Erica, 51, founded the V2V, or Victory to Victory Church, in Wembley where Blessing and his family have been a members since the start.

Blessing, 15, died after the mini-motorbike he was riding collided with a car in Beverley Avenue, Canvey.

Following his death, on October 18, his friends began travelling to attend services in Wembley and for the past three weeks the church has been laying on two coaches to transport them.

Now the church is planning to hold weekly sermons at St Nicholas’ Church, in Long Road, Canvey, starting on Friday, November 21.

Mr Goodman believes the new church will help young people on the island find direction in their life and provide them something positive to do on Friday nights.

He said: “Blessing was able to travel to Victory Church on a weekly basis, but many of the young people of Canvey cannot make the hour-long commute every Sunday.”

Mr Goodman recently gave a series of sermons on witchcraft at the church in Wembley.

Meanwhile, he claims to have exorcised a woman who was having sex with demons who appeared in her room every night. He has also warned his congregation against witchcraft and and spells like those in Harry Potter books.