A married vicar who had an eight-month affair with a teenage girl has been expelled from the Church of England for eight years.

Reverend Paul Meier, 47, started the relationship when the girl, who attended two church youth groups he ran, was 18.

Rev Meier was youth missioner when he met the girl in the deanery of Storrington, West Sussex.

The clergyman was suspended a year ago from a new post in Horsmonden, Kent, following the girl’s complaints to church authorities.

According to The Mirror, Rev Meier and his wife had been friends with the girl’s family for almost six years before the relationship began in 2008.

The father-of-two, told his wife Saskia he wanted to end their marriage because of the affair.

A church disciplinary tribunal ruled that Rev Meier’s behaviour was ‘inappropriate to the work of a clerk in Holy Orders’, after he admitted gross misconduct.

The tribunal, held earlier this week, also heard how he had abused the trust placed in him by his family, the girl, and her family.

He has been expelled from the Church of England for at least eight years and removed from his post.

Judge John Lodge, who led the tribunal into the allegations, said in a report: ‘One day he kissed her and a full sexual relationship between them developed.

‘Mr Meier told the complainant he wanted to leave Saskia and be with the complainant.

‘Saskia did not know of her husband’s adultery at that time, but his attention towards the complainant distressed her.’

The tribunal also heard details of Mr Meier’s behaviour after the girl started to show signs of distress due to the affair.

Suspension: The Reverend was working in a new post in Horsmonden, Kent, pictured, when he was suspended

In the middle of 2008 the girl’s parents sent her to a psychiatric unit where she began to recover.

Rev Meier visited the girl, during which time he told his wife he wanted to leave her.

Mrs Meier told the tribunal: ‘I advised him to go on a two-week holiday to think things through by himself. He came back willing to stay, and our relationship has grown steadily, with a lot of hard work and forgiveness.’

The judge said: ‘The complainant became mentally disturbed, as evidenced by attempts to self-harm, and she acted bizarrely, eg locking the family out of the house one evening.

Distress: The news has shocked residents of the town, pictured, where the father-of-two had been working

‘Mr Meier admits the complainant self-harmed and that she told him about it.’

‘Rather than cease his misconduct and provide her with the support she needed and deserved, he allowed things to continue unchanged.’

However, the judge said it was ‘to his credit that he has sought to rebuild his marriage’ and that several people had written in support of him.

Mr Meier was not at the rectory where he lives this week, and was not available to comment.

Read more: Daily Mail