Priest quits over claims he gave collection plate cash to homeless heroin addict to fund £100-a-day habit

A parish priest has resigned after allegedly giving a drug addict thousands of pounds to buy heroin and crack cocaine.

Father Alan Sharpe was filmed by an undercover documentary team handing over at least £100 a day to the 24-year-old homeless man.

The 69-year-old Anglican vicar denied any wrongdoing after the programme was broadcast last month.

But on Sunday parishioners were told he had resigned after his congregation dropped by more than half. One fear was that collection plate cash was being used to pay for drugs.

Father Alan had been parish priest at St Patrick's Church in Hove, East Sussex, for 25 years. In 1985, he set up a night shelter with 45 beds for the homeless in a back room at the church.

The shelter also offered counselling for drug addicts and alcoholics and help with job applications, benefits forms and court appearances.

His work has been praised by the Queen, Tony Blair and David Cameron, who have all visited the shelter. But rumours began to circulate last year when Father Alan, whose wife died five years ago, invited a homeless drug addict to live with him at the vicarage.

Concerns about the "inappropriate" relationship led to an investigation by the BBC South programme, Inside Out.

Presenter Joe Crowley said: "We were told that Father Alan was giving the heroin addict about £100 per day to buy drugs.

"We secretly filmed the vicar driving the drug addict to the bank and handing him money. The addict then took this money to his dealer to buy drugs."

The vicar was seen taking the drug addict to the cashpoint on 11 days. On some, he made two trips.

After the programme was broadcast on February 22, Father Alan resigned as chairman of the Lorica Trust, the charity he set up to run the homeless shelter. But he continued in his duties as parish priest.

He said at the time: "Everything I have done has been open, as a genuine, heartfelt Christian response to the needs of marginalised people.

"Like many other parish clergy, I do give cash donations out of my own money.

"It has come to my attention that one particular individual I have personally helped financially could be using the money inappropriately, helping them to buy drugs rather than food and clothes, for example.

"The charity operates with very strict procedures but my position means that any doubts regarding my personal actions reflect directly upon it. For that reason, I decided to resign."

Father Alan's sermons attracted an average of around 100 worshippers a year ago but on Sunday the congregation numbered only 40.

One parishioner said: "He did a lot of good work for deeply troubled people but it wasn't right for him to let a young drug addict live at his home.

"He crossed a line and people weren't comfortable with the situation. For that reason I thought it best to go to another church."

The Ven Douglas McKittrick, Archdeacon of the Diocese of Chichester, which covers St Patrick's, said: "Father Alan Sharpe has administered to some of the most marginalised and needy in Brighton and Hove.

"I and many others are grateful for his priestly ministry and wish him a happy retirement."

Father Alan, who handed in his resignation to the diocese on Friday, was not available for comment.