The jury has retired in the trial of a Catholic priest accused of abusing boys from a Richmond Council-run children’s home in the 1970s and 1980s.

Father Tony McSweeney, 68, is charged with four counts of indecent assault on young boys and four charges of taking or possessing indecent images of children.

His co-defendant John Stingemore, the former manager of Grafton Close children’s home, died at his home in St Leonards-on-Sea last month before the trial began.

The jury, made up of five women and six men, retired today after hearing six days worth of evidence.

It was alleged Mr McSweeney watched boys in the shower at the children’s home in Hanworth, sexually assaulted a second boy on a number of occasions and sexually assaulted a third boy at Mr Stingmore’s home in Bexhill.

He is also accused of taking an indecent photograph of a child and possessing indecent images of children, ranging from categories A to C.

Mr McSweeney denies all the charges against him.

At Southwark Crown Court yesterday [February 23], Mr McSweeney told the court he was not aware Mr Stingemore had a house in Bexhill, did not visit the home at any point and consequently did not sexually abuse the boy in question.

Mr McSweeney said he did not recall a number of the alleged victims and witnesses and denied he ever sexually abused any young boys.

Mr McSweeney told the court that while he did not see anything of concern at Grafton Close, Mr Stingemore showed him child pornography, which he thought nothing of at the time.

Last week, an alleged victim told the court he and another boy, Peter Bornshin, who has since committed suicide, were taken to Mr Stingemore’s home in Bexhill on several occasions because they were his "favourites".

The alleged victim told the court while at the house, he was sexually abused by Mr McSweeney.

Another witness in the case told the jury before Mr McSweeney used to visit the children’s home, he worked at a scout camp where he watched the then 15-year-old in the shower.

Stephen Spence, defending, told the court Mr McSweeney had no recollection of the alleged incident, which does not form part of the charges against him.