Paedophile Priest Faces Sentencing for Grafton Close Abuse Today

By Laura Proto
Local Guardian
March 27, 2015

http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/local/11884785.Paedophile_priest_faces_sentencing_for_Grafton_Close_abuse_today/

Tony McSweeney: Convicted of one indecent assault

A Catholic priest faces prison today after being found guilty of indecently assaulting a boy at a Richmond Council-run children's home in the 1970s and 80s.

Father Tony McSweeney, 68, was found guilty last month of one charge of indecent assault against a boy under 16 at Grafton Close Children's Home in Hanworth.

He was also found guilty of three counts of possessing indecent images of children.

McSweeney was acquitted on three other charges of indecent assault on boys under the age of 16 and one count of taking an indecent photograph of a child.

The priest was charged alongside John Stingemore, the former manager of the children's home, under Operation Fernbridge.

Mr Stingemore, 72, died in January before he was due to stand trial.

The court previously heard the pair carried out a "joint enterprise" to abuse boys at the home.

McSweeney, of Old Brighton Road North, Pease Pottage, Crawley, will be sentenced by Judge Alistair McCreath at Southwark Crown Court this morning.