A former verger to the late Queen who sexually abused two schoolboys was today jailed for 16 years.
Clive McCleester, 77, who served at Windsor Castle‘s St George’s Chapel and supervised visitors to the Queen Mother’s tomb, pleaded guilty to 10 sexual offences at Inner London Crown Court.
The Church of England official abused his first victim while working as a child welfare officer at Tylney Hall School in Hampshire between January 1968 and December 1970.
McCleester later sexually abused a choirboy at Southwark Cathedral in the 1980s while living in the church’s vicarage.
The church officer, who lives in the Grade I listed Hospital of St Cross almshouse in Winchester, was dubbed a ‘vile predator’ by police after admitting his offences just days before his case was set to be heard in court.
Prosecutor Catherine Donnelly told Inner London Crown Court McCleester abused one of his victims on the day of his grandmother’s funeral while walking with him in the grounds of Tylney Hall.
McCleester then took the child back to his room and continued the attack.
