Born February 1958 England Other names Jonathan Richard Kirkpatrick Alma mater University of London
University of Otago Relatives Tim Barnett (former partner) Offices held Vicar at St Michael and All Angels, Christchurch (1991–1996)
Dean at St. Paul's Cathedral, Dunedin (1996–2001) | ||
Jonathan Richard Kirkpatrick (born February 1958) was Dean of Dunedin from 1996 until 2001, and has since been convicted as a fraudster after stealing more than NZ$600,000 from the Auckland University of Technology.
Kirkpatrick was born in 1958. He obtained an honours degree in theology from the University of London. He came to New Zealand in 1991 with his partner, Tim Barnett, when he got a job in Christchurch as vicar at St Michael and All Angels. Kirkpatrick is known for his gay-rights activism within the Anglican church.
After five years, Kirkpatrick became vicar at St Paul's Cathedral in Dunedin. He moved south in 1996, but Barnett remained in Christchurch and was elected to parliament later that year. Kirkpatrick obtained a Master of Business Administration degree in commerce at the University of Otago. In August 1998, Barnett fell asleep at the wheel, their car left the road and Kirkpatrick broke his back. Their relationship finished after 18 years. Kirkpatrick experienced a difficult period at St Paul's and in 1998, he dismissed the Director of Music, Dr Raymond White, which made headline news. In 2001, he resigned from St Paul's and moved to Auckland.
After leaving the Deanery he was head of Auckland University of Technology's Business Innovation Centre. He stole over NZ$600,000 from the university and in October 2011 was jailed for three years and two months. He was released on parole after his first appearance in front of the New Zealand Parole Board in October 2012 after serving a third of his jail term.