THE Hospital of St Cross has said a former resident who has been jailed for child sex abuse will never return to live there.

Clive McCleester, who is starting a 16-year sentence, was a Brother at the almshouses from 2006 until recently when he admitted the offences which occurred elsewhere.

The hospital said McCleester had been acquitted of sex offences in 2003 and provided references before he moved in.

A spokesperson for the Hospital of St Cross said: “The Trustees of the Hospital of St Cross were shocked when they learnt about the charges brought against Mr McCleester.

READ MORE HERE: Former cathedral verger sentenced to 16 years for sex offences

"On pleading guilty to the offences, he resigned as a resident and vacated his flat.  If, and when, he is released from prison, he will not be returning to the Hospital of St Cross.

"At the time he was accepted as a resident of the Hospital in 2006 Mr McCleester had been acquitted of all charges in an earlier trial and the Hospital received suitable references. The Hospital currently has stringent safeguarding criteria which includes a requirement that all applicants for residency complete a DBS check.  The Trustees sympathise deeply with everyone affected by this matter.”

In 2003 McCleester was cleared of indecent assault at a trial in London. The Dean of Winchester, the late Michael Till, gave character witness evidence.

Mr Till told the court: "He was someone to be trusted and relied upon for the work we had to do. For children, we have a duty of care to all of them. His conduct was totally professional."

SEE ALSO: Winchester Cathedral shock at crimes of former verger

McCleester trained as a Benedictine monk in Hampshire for two and a half years. He worked as an accountant at a children's home in Eltham, south London, and a school near Basingstoke before becoming verger at Southwark Cathedral in 1982, where he remained until 1992.

He worked at Winchester Cathedral until 2000, before taking on the job as Dean's verger at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, where he has been responsible for tending the Queen Mother's tomb.