A US Roman Catholic priest has been sentenced to three years in prison
after pleading no contest to stealing more than one million dollars
(£640,000) in church money and spending it on male escorts and a lavish
lifestyle.
The Rev Kevin Gray, former pastor at Sacred Heart/Sagrado
Corazon Parish in Waterbury, Connecticut, was also sentenced to three
years of probation.
The Republican-American reports that a plea of
no contest was entered on Gray's behalf, which means he did not admit
guilt, but a conviction for first-degree larceny was entered on his
record.
Prosecutors said the 65-year-old Gray will not have to pay
back the money because the Diocese of Hartford did not ask for
restitution.
Gray's lawyer called many of the charges against his client overblown.