A VICAR jailed for having sex with a 13-year-old schoolgirl has been barred by the Church.

Married Kevin Conway was jailed for three-and-a-half years after he admitted two specimen charges of indecent assault, one of indecency and three of having unlawful sexual intercourse.

After an inquiry by the Bishop of Jarrow's office, Conway, of St Wilfrid's Church, Moorside, Sunderland, has been "disqualified and deprived" from operating as a priest.

The Bishop of Jarrow, the Right Reverend John Pritchard, said: "This means he will no longer be active as a priest for life, unless there is some intervention by the Church.

"It will now be up to the Archbishop of York to decide whether or not his Holy Orders are deposed - this is what used to be more commonly known as defrocking."

Conway was suspended from his duties after police uncovered his illicit relationship with the girl, which started when she was 12.

Details of the scandal, which shocked the Moorside community, only came to light after Conway contacted police to report the youngster had been attacked by a gang.

The pair's mobile phones were seized and numerous intimate text messages, which they had exchanged, were revealed.

It is not thought that Conway will work as a practising priest again.

Detectives discovered the couple's relationship had become boyfriend and girlfriend when the teenager turned to the vicar as a shoulder to cry on after being bullied by youths.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how the father-of-three then used his influence to ignite the secret affair.

He eventually had sex with the girl in his car.

They had planned to go on holiday to Butlin's, Skegness, before police intervened.