A Catholic priest has stepped down from his job after being arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a child.
Monsignor
Michael Smith, 63, the parish priest at Corpus Christi Church in
Tonbridge, Kent, was arrested on December 7 and has been bailed pending
further enquiries.
The Archbishop of Southwark Peter Smith,
who took Mass at the church last weekend, told the congregation that it
was ‘with great sadness’ that he had to inform them that ‘an allegation
had been made against Monsignor Smith concerning a young person’.
A
spokesman for Kent Police confirmed that a 63-year-old man had been
arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and is currently on bail.
SIC: DM/UK