Church did not act on priest's 30 years of child abuse

The Reverend David Smith, 52, groomed vulnerable youngsters and indecently assaulted some of them during sleepovers at his vicarage and on holidays abroad.

Concerns about the vicar were twice raised with Church of England officials.

But despite assurances that the matter had been "dealt with", Smith continued to abuse boys in his parish, Bristol Crown Court heard.

The case is embarrassing for the Church of England, which only last week was accused of failing to tell police about the activities of a former choirmaster who abused children in his care but went on to become a school governor.

Peter Halliday, 61, who worked at St Peter's Church in Farnborough, Hampshire, admitted sexually molesting boys as young as nine nearly 20 years ago.

Smith, vicar of St John the Evangelist in Clevedon,Somerset, denied 12 charges against him, claiming "they were figments of someone's imagination".

But after a two-week trial a jury took just two hours to find him guilty of ten charges of indecent assault, one sexual assault of a child under 13, and one of sexual activities with a child under 16.

The attacks, on six boys under 16, took place between 1976 and 2005.

One of Smith's victims, who attempted to blow the whistle in 2001, said: "The church gave me the assurance that children would be protected from him but they were lying.

"The church is appallingly guilty of covering up these things for all these years."

Smith's abuse began after he was appointed assistant housemaster at the Douai Abbey monastic boarding school in Berkshire in 1975. During his one academic year at the school he abused three boys.

Twenty-five years later, one of the victims saw his Smith speaking about the death of a cousin in the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001.

Shocked to see he was now a vicar, he wrote to the church to express his concerns.

He was reassured by the then Bishop of Bath and Wells, the Right Reverend Jim Thompson, that the problem had "effectively been dealt with".

After being appointed curate in the parish of Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, in 1981, Smith formed a close relationship with a troubled 12-year-old boy, lending him money.

His parents contacted police, fearing he had been abused.

His mother was "left with the impression that the Church was going to deal with the problem", said Brendan Moorhouse, prosecuting.

A charge of indecency against the boy was dropped on a legal technicality.

Smith abused three more boys after becoming vicar in Clevedon in 1993. He visited local schools asking youngsters if they would like to join the choir.

He gained their trust by inviting them to the vicarage to do their homework or taking them on trips to the seaside, later telling them he "loved them" and even kissing one boy on the lips.

The abuse only came to light when his final victim, a 13-year-old altar boy, told a church member about Smith's activities.

Police traced the other victims through church records.

Sentencing Smith, Judge Michael Longman said: "During two periods in your life you sexually abused six young boys who were effectively in your care.

"All of them looked up to you as their priest and father figure.

"The circumstances of the abuse, you being their priest and friend, could hardly have been worse."

The current Bishop of Bath and Wells, the Right Reverend Peter Price, apologised to Smith's victims.

"We've taken all necessary steps to do all in our power to ensure there is no repetition of this situation," he added.