A disgraced Mid Wales vicar has been refused permission to appeal against his three and a half year prison sentence for possessing more than 56,000 indecent images of children.
The Reverend Richard Hart, 59, the former vicar of Beguildy, who also admitted taking and making indecent photographs of children, had claimed his sentence was too harsh.
He sought leave to appeal against his sentence recently at the Court of Appeal in London but after being considered at the single judge stage, he was refused the right to appeal. But he does have an opportunity to renew his appeal.
A spokesman for the Court of Appeal said: “Richard Hart’s leave to appeal against his sentence has been refused.
“He does have the opportunity to renew his application. He has about four weeks to renew it before the file is closed. But even after that time, if he has valid reasons, he can appeal again.”
Hart admitted possessing 56,832 indecent images of children at Cardiff Crown Court in September; 44 images were category five, the most serious on the scale. He had also admitted 12 charges of making indecent photographs between 1999 and 2007, and four of taking such images in July 1991.
At the time of sentencing Dyfed Powys Police said they were pleased with the conviction and sentencing of Hart, which followed the second biggest seizure of its kind by Dyfed Powys Police.
Hart had been the priest-in-charge of the eight churches of Beguildy, Heyope, Llangunllo, Bleddfa, Llanbister, Llanbadarn Fynydd, Llanddewi and Llananno since 2001.
The churches under Hart’s care were St Cynllo’s at Llangunllo; St Cynllo’s at Llanbister; St Mary Magdalene’s in Bleddfa; St Padarn’s in Llanbadarn Fynydd; St Anno’s in Llananno and St Michael’s in Beguildy.
The father-of-five was also chairman of governors at Beguildy voluntary controlled Church in Wales school and was involved in running church-led youth clubs.
He has been suspended indefinitely from his pastoral duties and will face a tribunal to decide his future with the church.
Hart was also suspended from his position as a governor at Beguildy School, where his wife, Julia, 40, worked part-time.