(UNITED KINGDOM)
Surrey Police [Surrey, England]
November 14, 2025
A former Catholic priest has been sentenced for a non-recent sex offence against a child.
Anthony White, 67, was found guilty of indecent assault of a boy under the age of 14 years in the late 1980s, following a trial at Guildford Crown Court. White was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment on Tuesday, 4 November.
The survivor, who was in his first few years of secondary school, met White, known as Father Tony, through his local church. White used his position within St Joseph’s Church in Epsom and involvement with clubs as a means of selecting and grooming the child.
Over the course of several years, Father Tony subjected the young boy to repeated abuse at his home. This mistreatment began with leaving the child alone in a room for extended periods. This escalated to Father Tony exposing the boy to explicit material and committing acts of indecent assault. After each incident, Father Tony manipulated the child by blaming him for what had happened and shamed the survivor into silence, to prevent him from speaking out.
White (DOB: 20/05/1958) is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence after being convicted in 2022 of non-recent sex offences following an investigation by Sussex Police. This new conviction will run consecutively to the 10-year sentence.
The survivor found the courage to report to police having seen the press coverage of White’s conviction in 2022. His report led to a thorough investigation by Surrey Police’s Complex Abuse Unit, with specially trained officers supporting the survivor throughout. The church has fully co-operated with our investigation and initially encouraged the survivor to speak with police.
Detective Constable Katherine Peters said: “I’d like to commend the bravery of the survivor for coming forward and supporting the police investigation after so many years. The conviction of White in 2022 for his crimes in Sussex brought back memories for the survivor who had suppressed his experiences for decades.
“White used his position as a priest to build trust with the young boy. His abhorrent actions were deliberate and calculated, designed to ensure the survivor did not feel able to speak out about the continuing abuse.
“No matter how long ago events happened, we were always look to investigate child sexual abuse and seek justice for victims, ensuring they feel supported at every stage.”
For advice on reporting sexual abuse and how to get support, please visit our webpage here.
