A vicar stole thousands of pounds to pay for gay prostitutes.

Andrew Sloane had been a vicar at St Paul’s Church, in Knightsbridge, London, when the scheme was discovered.

Westminster magistrates’ court heard that the vicar stole and swindled a total of £14,500 to fund an extravagant lifestyle.

He was rumbled when church officials investigating the disappearance of collection money found CCTV footage of Sloane taking the money from a church safe.

The vicar also convinced three female worshippers to provide him with emergency loans.

Appearing before the court, the vicar admitted stealing from the church collections and pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud by false representation.

Sloane, who has repaid all of the money, avoided a prison sentence. He was sentenced to a 12-month suspended sentence, and was ordered to pay £85 costs and a £115 victim surcharge.

According to the Sun, prosecutor Katie Bryan said: “The defendant was funding a lifestyle and using rent boys and living beyond his means.

“He is a vicar of at least thirty-five years and joined St Paul’s from a parish in Washington, USA.

“CCTV shows the defendant taking the money from the church.”

Sloane’s lawyer argued: “These offences reflected a personal crisis in his life and all the money was repaid before the police became involved.

“He made a full confession to the church authorities about what had happened.”