AFTER five days, 26 witnesses, and almost two years since he was relieved of his clerical duties, the Rev Harry Brown's appeal hearing has finished.

The priest's future now rests in the hands of one man, the Archbishop of York.

Mr Brown appealed to the Archbishop against a decision by the Bishop of Carlisle to revoke his licence, following investigations into what the diocese called sexual harassment, intimidating behaviour and mental abuse, and financial irregularities'. Mr Brown has always denied the allegations, apart from the financial matters, of which he has already given an account to the appeal.

The Archbishop, Dr David Hope, is expected to give a written ruling in several weeks.

Michaela Robinson-Tate reports from the final day-and-a-half of the hearing in our News - Focus section.

January 10, 2003 09:30