Former Harlow priest accused of sexually assaulting teenage boys

Harlow Star
February 25, 2015

http://www.harlowstar.co.uk/Harlow-priest-accused-sexually-assaulting-teenage/story-26080967-detail/story.html

A priest who served in Harlow during the 1990s has denied sexually abusing teenage boys and taking indecent photographs of children

A priest who served in Harlow during the 1990s has denied sexually abusing teenage boys and taking indecent photographs of children.

Father Tony McSweeney, who was priest of the Holy Cross & St Luke’s parish between 1993 and 1997, was arrested in February 2013 by officers from the Metropolitan Police.

The 68-year-old clergyman was once part-time chaplain at Norwich FC and officiated at the wedding of world heavyweight boxing champion Frank Bruno in 1990.

But Southwark Crown Court was told he had a sexual interest in young boys before he entered the priesthood and had collected “vile” images of children over a period of many years.

McSweeney was originally charged along with former children’s home manager John Stingemore, who was found dead weeks before the trial was due to start.

Sarah Plaschkes, prosecuting, told the court: “We say that, over the decades and on various occasions, he [McSweeney] has had indecent images of teenage boys.

“Between 1979 and 1981 he actually took indecent photographs of a teenage boy. Then, in 1998, his cleaner found a video with indecent images in his home.

“When he was arrested in 2013, indecent images were found on his laptop. But his interest has not just been looking at such images; between 1979 and 1981 the prosecution say he sexually abused teenage boys.”

The court heard that in 1980 McSweeney used his long-term friendship with Stingemore to secure access to vulnerable boys in care.

“That gave this defendant the opportunity to sexually abuse teenage boys who were in care and away from their families,” said Ms Plaschkes.

“It is our case that this defendant sexually abused three boys at that children’s home in Hounslow.”

The prosecution gave details of an incident in 1976 when, while involved in the Scout movement, McSweeney was caught watching a 15-year-old boy taking a shower in a communal block during a week-long residential event at the Gilwell Park Scout Retreat.

The jury was also told about incidents at the children’s home where McSweeney and Stingemore watched a teenage showering on a number of occasions. In the most serious incident another boy found himself alone with McSweeney who took photos of him after abusing him in a bedroom.

It was only when the Jimmy Savile scandal hit the headlines that he broke his silence about the abuse and reported it to police.

McSweeney was also alleged to have abused a young boy at the home of Stingemore in Bexhill-on-Sea.

When McSweeney was arrested he denied the allegations, telling police officers: “At no time have I done any of those things. I am astonished.”

McSweeney, who now lives in West Sussex, denies four charges of indecent assault, one of taking an indecent photograph of a child and three of making indecent images of children.