A bisexual priest who took part in group sex and visited gay saunas has been sacked after his wife exposed his double life.

A Church of England tribunal heard details of Reverend James Day’s sexual antics after his estranged wife amassed a cache of evidence against him and made a formal complaint.

This included four memory sticks containing pornographic images and explicit emails Rev Day sent referring to gay liaisons.

After hearing a damning statement from Birte Day, the Bishop’s Disciplinary Tribunal for the Diocese of Europe ruled his actions amounted to “conduct unbecoming and inappropriate” and banned him from ministry for life.

The hearing found the dad-of-three had been violent towards his wife – tightening a scarf around her throat so she couldn’t breathe, spanking her as punishment for wearing shorts, and spitting in her face.