Priest's 'shame' for sleeping with young Polish student found dead in his church

Father Gerry Nugent, 63, told a murder trial he abused his position of trust and engaged in "sexual intimacy" three or four times with Angelika Kluk, 23, over a period of a few weeks.

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Father Nugent also revealed that he showered Miss Kluk with expensive gifts including a £1,500 laptop and a flight back to her homeland. He even allowed her to use his credit card.

The court heard how the priest treated Miss Kluk totally differently to everyone else who came to live at St Patrick's Church in Anderston, Glasgow, although he denied he was in love with her.

Told that Miss Kluk's married lover Martin MacAskill, 40, and her older sister, Aneta, 28, had both strongly disputed his claims to have slept with the student, the priest told the court: "Sadly, it is true."

The High Court in Edinburgh also heard details of his long battle with alcoholism and how, after a decade of abstinence, he had started drinking again in 2005 - the year he met Miss Kluk and began their brief affair.

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The revelations came on the fifth day of the trial of Peter Tobin, 60, a church handyman accused of raping and murdering Miss Kluk and hiding her body under the floor of St Patrick's. Tobin denies the charges.

The court heard that Father Nugent first met Miss Kluk when she approached him after Mass asking for a place to stay for the holidays.

He said she developed a close interest in his work as a priest while he "admired" the young woman's energy and zest for life.

But by the end of August, their relationship had become more personal.

Asked if he had sexual relations with Miss Kluk, Father Nugent eventually whispered hoarsely: "Yes."

He added: "Sexual intimacy happened about three or four times. I felt guilty and felt ashamed and there was inordinate disgust for myself.

"I knew it was wrong and I wanted to make it right." Describing how he ended their affair, Father Nugent said: "I felt terrible and I knew it had to stop so that part of the relationship stopped in September 2005.

"I was at peace within myself when it was over."

Father Nugent also told the trial he discovered he was suffering from alcoholism ten years ago, although he insisted he was not drinking during the affair.

He added, however: "For personal reasons, through health, I did the wrong thing and lifted up a drink two years ago.

"In those two years I have been in and out, drinking and coming off it."

Later, Father Nugent revealed he had lavished gifts on Miss Kluk even though his annual income from the church was just £1,800.

He said he paid for the £1,500 laptop out of money he had been left in a parishioner's will.

He admitted he gave Miss Kluk cash from his wallet - even though she had not asked him for anything - if he knew she was going away on a weekend trip with her sister and friends.

Father Nugent said he resigned from his parish a fortnight ago but remained a priest.

He said he was receiving treatment for his drinking problem, adding: "Since this event has happened, everything has changed in my life.

"The kind of therapy I am getting is bereavement therapy."

The trial continues.