A FORMER monk at a Catholic boarding school who continued to abuse young boys after confessing to having sexual contact with a pupil has been jailed for more than 20 years.

Peter Turner, 80, sexually abused two boys after he was forced to leave Ampleforth College, in North Yorkshire, and sent away to work in a parish in Workington, Cumbria.

He was sentenced to 20 years 10 months at York Crown Court on Wednesday after admitting to a string of sexual offences committed more than 30 years ago against three boys aged between nine and 12.

Turner, who was previously known as Father Gregory Carroll, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to 11 counts of indecent assault, two counts of buggery and one count of gross indecency with a child.

He served another jail sentence in 2005 after he admitted offences against 10 pupils at Ampleforth between 1979 and 1987.

Judge Sean Morris, the Recorder of York, said: "You have brought evil into this world when, by your calling, you should have brought hope, help and succour."

Pauline McCullagh from the CPS said: “Turner committed a truly sickening breach of trust, sexually abusing young boys who innocently placed their trust in him as a monk and priest.

“He blighted their childhoods, in pursuit of his own depraved sexual gratification.  His victims have shown tremendous strength and bravery in coming forward and supporting the investigation and prosecution. Thanks to them, the true scale of his criminality is becoming clear.

“Our thoughts remain with them as they have been throughout.”