Anthony McSweeney: Catholic priest jailed for three years for sexually abusing boy at children's home in west London

The abuse took place between 1979 and 1981

Catholic priest Anthony McSweeney jailed for three years for assaulting a teenage boy at a children's home in west London (PA)

Catholic priest Anthony McSweeney has been sentenced to three years in prison for sexually assaulting a teenage boy at a children's home in west London between 1979 and 1981.

Sweeney, 68, was found guilty of abusing the 15-year-old while working at the Grafton Close Children's Home in Hounslow.

A sexual harm prevention order was also made against him at the sentencing on March 27 at Southwark Crown Court.

Earlier in the trial, the priest, who is classed as morbidly obese, confessed he had watched children in the shower and collected indecent videos of children, the BBC reported.

He also said that he had watched footage featuring boys as young as 10 on a home cinema with friend John Stingemore - the former manager of the children's home, who died before the trial.

But McSweeney denied molesting boys when they sat on his lap, and claimed he was "too fat" to have done so with a teenager.

The priest was investigated as part of a probe into an alleged paedophile ring at the home. The probe also included Elm Guest House in Barnes, south-west London.

Detectives said that the priest worked at Grafton on an ad hoc basis as a "helper" and the council never formally employed him.

At the sentencing, Judge Alistair McCreath said McSweeney had a "voyeuristic interest in children, either in seeing them unclothed, or in seeing them sexually abused by others".

He said the priest had abused his position of trust and there was "no doubt" the victims had suffered sexual harm of a psychological nature.

He added that McSweeney poses a "high risk of serious harm" to children.