Paedophile priest to be freed

Archbishop Murphy-O'Connor: Came under fire over priest

A priest jailed for child sex abuse in 1997 is to be freed on Thursday, the Catholic Church has said.

Father Michael Hill has served three and a half years of a five-year sentence for nine attacks, including one on a boy with learning difficulties at the Gatwick Airport chapel.

The Church came under fire when it was revealed Father Hill had been allowed to work as a priest in 1985 at Gatwick, although his licence had been revoked due to concerns over his behaviour.

Father Hill will be released under licence and must live at a full-time residential centre under the supervision of the Probation Service, Father Kevin Dring of the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton.

'Very sorry'

"He will continue the therapy and treatment that he has been receiving already," he said.

John Hull, the diocese's administrator, added: "I am ashamed and very sorry that a priest caused such harm to young people.

"Around the diocese there is a programme involving child protection professionals to ensure that our procedures are being fully implemented effectively."

Hill, whose parish was Heathfield in East Sussex, has been permanently suspended from working as a priest since his conviction, he added.

The Church has confirmed it paid compensation to Father Hill's victims, after some decided to sue the church over the way it handled the case.

The Prison Service refused to confirm his release. A spokeswoman said: "We would never comment on a prisoner's release date."