A POPULAR vicar and governor at a primary school in Oxford has appeared in court facing 20 child sex charges.

Father Michael Wright, 69, vicar of St Barnabas Church in Jericho since 1980, has been suspended by the Oxford Diocese following a police investigation into the alleged offences, which date back more than 30 years.

He also stood down from his role as a governor at St Barnabas Primary School in Jericho.

Yesterday, Wright, of St Barnabas Street, appeared at Reading Crown Court charged with five counts of a serious sexual offence and 15 counts of indecent assault against a young boy at St Stephen's Church in Lewisham, South London.

See tomorrow's Oxford Mail for the full story and community reaction..