FORMER parishioners of a disgraced priest have spoken of their shock that he has found a new job in a north Wiltshire village.

A church tribunal in February 2001 found the Reverend Geoff Hewitt guilty of three cases of sexual harassment on two female church staff at his former parish in north Wales.

He was sacked as honorary canon of Bangor Cathedral and later resigned as priest-in-charge of St Cedol Parish Church in Pentir, Bangor.

But parishioners at All Saints Church in Christian Malford, near Chippenham, have spent the past seven months unaware of the vicar's guilty past.

In February 2000 Hewitt assaulted Dr Tanya Jenkins, former priest-in-charge at St Cyngar Church in Anglesey, after going back to her home for a cup of tea following a funeral.

Since the incident Dr Jenkins has suffered from depression, moved away from the area and stopped going to church.

Similar allegations were levelled against Hewitt by church worker Delyth Lloyd-Williams and she also claimed he made 'lewd and unsettling' remarks.

Hewitt admitted both charges at the tribunal held in Brecon, South Wales. An insider at St Cyngar Church was surprised Hewitt had found a new parish.

He said: "Everyone up here is shocked to hear he has a new job, we were told he had disappeared and the Church said they had no idea where he was.

"But all along they were secretly plotting to move him quietly to a different parish hoping no one would find out."

Since the revelations broke last week, 54-year-old Hewitt has been hiding out in France and is not expected back until next week.

Former parishioner Rosalyn Lofts said: "We were all surprised when we heard he had been given a new parish, for all we knew he had just disappeared."

But his new parishioners at Christian Malford were kept in the dark about the revelations until last week, just days after Hewitt had gone into hiding.

On Tuesday, the Bishop of Bristol, Right Reverend Michael Hill, said: "I understand that despite having given a full disclosure of the facts to the relevant people involved in the appointment, parishioners were not told everything about Mr Hewitt's past in his previous diocese.

"Clearly it was a shock for local people to learn from the media about previous incidents."

All Saints Church parishioner Margaret Meyrick said: "We are all fully behind the Reverend. The Church preaches forgiveness and that is what we have to do.

"I believe I can speak for all the parishioners when I say he is very welcome here and now he's served his time he is allowed a fresh start."

The Rev Hewitt is also on the board of governors at Christian Malford Primary School and Sutton Benger Primary School, and is responsible for churches in Sutton Benger, Tytherton Kellaways and Kington Langley. Two women readers assist him.