The Catholic church today confirmed the priest at the centre of the latest child abuse allegations was Father John Healy.

Father Healy has been on administrative leave from St Peter's Church, West Street, Shoreham, since last Wednesday.

The move follows allegations from a 35-year-old woman that she was abused by a priest when she was a teenager.

Stuart Geary, dioscesan information officer, said: "People are innocent until proven guilty and it is not very helpful to name him. However, his name has been mentioned publicly.

"We have tried to keep the matter as neutral as possible, to ensure that both he is protected and young people and vulnerable adults are protected.

"Administrative leave is just a process to remove people from danger as far as we can."

Mr Geary said the diocese was working with police and social services to investigate the allegations.

Father Healy, who has been a priest for 30 years and has been at Shoreham since 1998, is priest to St Peter's Primary School. He strenuously denies the allegations.

Headteacher Marcia Alden issued a written statement to parents about the allegations against Father Healy.

In it she said: "Many of you will know that for some time there have been allegations . . . that Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor has failed to deal honestly and effectively with cases of alleged child abuse by some priests when he was Bishop of Arundel and Brighton.

"Unfortunately, in the latest allegation, the name of our own priest, Father John Healy, has been mentioned.

"This is a difficult time for all who are affected by the allegations and I ask for prayers for all who are in distress."

A spokeswoman for West Sussex County Council said: "The headteacher thought it was important that parents were made aware of what was happening, rather than reading about it in the media."

Three months ago Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor announced all outstanding files on priests facing allegations had been handed to an independent solicitor for assessment.

Last week he admitted he "forgot" the case of the teenage girl and said her case had been "overlooked". He called the mistake "frustrating".