A Roman Catholic priest who was jailed for a string of child sex attacks is being released from prison today.

Father Michael Hill was jailed in 1997 for nine offences of indecent assault committed over 19 years. His victims included children as young as eight.

They included two brothers at St Catherine's Church, Heathfield, and a boy with learning difficulties he met while working as a chaplain at Gatwick Airport.

Father Hill, 66, will be released from an unspecified prison today after serving three-and-a-half years of his sentence and will then be taken to a residential centre which is not in Sussex.

A church spokes-man said: "On Thursday Michael Hill will have completed three-and-a-half years of a five- year prison sentence and is due for release on licence.

"The Probation Service, together with the Diocesan authorities, have arranged for him to attend a full-time residential centre under the supervision of the Probation Service."

He said Father Hill's status as a priest had been suspended when he was convicted of the offences and moves were now underway in Rome to defrock him permanently.

Monsignor John Hull, of the Arundel and Brighton Diocese, said: "I am ashamed and very sorry that a priest caused such harm to young people.

"Around the diocese there is a programme involving child protection professionals to ensure that our procedures are being implemented effectively."

Father Hill was removed from his Heathfield parish in 1983 amid concerns. He was then given therapy before being allowed to return to work as a chaplain at Gatwick where he continued his attacks.

The church was criticised earlier this year when it was alleged that the then Bishop of Arundel and Brighton, Cormac Murphy O'Connor, had ignored professional advice that Father Hill was a risk to children and allowed him to take the chaplaincy.

The bishop, who was made Archbishop of Westminster earlier this year, said at the time: "It is true to say that if the strict procedures for child protection that are now in place . . . had been in operation in 1985, then Father Hill's situation would have been handled differently.

"I maintain that with the facts then known to me, the decisions made at that time in his regard were not irresponsible."