Anthony White, who was known as Father Tony, used his position within St Joseph’s Church and involvement with clubs to select and groom the boy when he was in the first years of secondary school in the late 1980s.
Over the course of several years, White subjected the boy to repeated sexual abuse at his home but manipulated him into silence by blaming him for what had happened.
St Joseph’s Church in Epsom (Image: Archive)
White, now 67, was jailed for 10 years in 2022 for the sexual abuse and rape of another young boy in the 1990s when he was an assistant priest at a St John the Evangelist Church in Horsham, West Sussex.
The Epsom survivor saw the press coverage of White’s 2022 conviction and found the courage to approach Sussex Police about the abuse he had suffered.
On November 4, White was sentenced to a further three years’ imprisonment after a Guildford Crown Court jury found him guilty of indecent assault of a boy under the age of 14.
Anthony White, known as Father Tony (Image: Sussex Police)
Detective Constable Katherine Peters said: “I’d like to commend the bravery of the survivor for coming forward and supporting the police investigation after so many years.
“The conviction of White in 2022 for his crimes in Sussex brought back memories for the survivor who had suppressed his experiences for decades.
“White used his position as a priest to build trust with the young boy. His abhorrent actions were deliberate and calculated, designed to ensure the survivor did not feel able to speak out about the continuing abuse.
“No matter how long ago events happened, we were always look to investigate child sexual abuse and seek justice for victims, ensuring they feel supported at every stage.”
Sussex Police said St Joseph’s Church fully co-operated with their investigation and initially encouraged the survivor to speak with police.

