A clergyman faces prison after admitting lying in court in the case of a funeral director who gave the wrong ashes to a bereaved mother.

Rev Christopher Walker The Rev Christopher Walker, 53, rector at St John the Baptist Church, South Moreton, appeared at Oxford Crown Court today charged with perjury.

He was accused of lying at the trial in March of Roger Barker, owner of R&H Barker Funeral Parlour at Didcot and Wantage.

Barker, 57, escaped prison when sentenced at Oxford Crown Court in March. He was given 160 hours of community service and ordered to pay £1,500 costs. He has now lodged an appeal against his sentence.

Parents Paul and Sheila Kent discovered the ashes they had been given by Didcot-based Barker were not those of their 27-year-old son Lee, who was killed in a motorcycle accident.

Barker had driven with the family to Letcombe Downs where they scattered those ashes.

After the funeral director was convicted, Mrs Kent, 51, said: "We'll never know where his ashes are. You never get over a child's death but we'll just have to move on. It's been an awful 18 months."

During the trial, Walker denied he had been present when unidentified ashes were scattered at Aston Tirrold church. However, today he accepted this was not the case.

Jonathan Coode, defending, said: "There is no suggestion my client has scattered the ashes himself but he was present and said the appropriate words."

Walker, who was supported by friends in the public gallery, including another clergyman, was ordered to reappear on June 17 for sentencing.

Judge Anthony King said: "We are bound to be considering a custodial sentence, but all options are open."

Barker, who is still in business with R&H Barker Funeral Directors, always maintained his innocence and numerous people wrote letters of support, hoping that Judge Bruce MacIntyre would exercise leniency.

He was found guilty of obtaining money by deception along with a second charge of forging the signature of client, Bryan Harrow, on funeral documents.