Priest in court to face historic sex charges

A Roman Catholic priest has been charged with sexual offences against a boy in the Horsham district, police said.

Father Anthony White, 62, now of Cross-In-Hand, Heathfield, appeared at Crawley Magistrates Court on April 28, to answer charges that he committed two offences of indecent assault and a sexual assault against a boy in the town more than 20 years ago, police said. At the time he was an assistant priest at St John’s Church.

A police spokesman added: “The defendant did not enter a plea and the case was committed for trial with an initial hearing at Lewes Crown Court on May 26.”