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An ex army vicar is facing jail after being convicted of a string of historic sex offences against children.

Former chaplain Richard Landall, 64, was found guilty of ten charges of indecent assault, one of assault by penetration and one of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

He was convicted after a trial at Durham Crown Court, which concluded on Wednesday.  

The court heard Landall abused his first teenage victim in the early 1990s when he was padre in the military in Folkestone, Kent.

In the early 2000s he then preyed on two other youths when he was a vicar in Armthorpe, outside of Doncaster.

Landall, of Penrith, Cumbria, was remanded in custody and will be sentenced for his crimes next month.

Former chaplain Richard Landall, 64, was found guilty of ten charges of indecent assault, one of assault by penetration and one of causing a child to engage in sexual activity. He will be sentenced next month

He joined the military in 1992 before being posted to Germany where he was a Royal Fusiliers padre.

He served in Bosnia in 1997 where he counselled soldiers through 18 marriage break-ups and 11 suicides and saw two civilians lose their legs after they stepped on land mines.

However, in 1998, he returned to the UK to face a court martial in Aldershot for allegations of indecent assault against a soldier’s wife.

He was cleared of the charges but his army contract wasn’t renewed.

He was also divorced by his wife before the allegations came to light, a court heard.

Durham Crown Court (pictured) heard Landall abused his first teenage victim in the early 1990s when he was padre in the military in Folkestone, Kent. In the early 2000s he then preyed on two other youths when he was a vicar in Armthorpe, outside of Doncaster

Following his exit from the army, Landall got a new job as parish of St Clare’s Church on a council estate in Guildford in 1999. 

DC Claire Trewick, who led the investigation said: 'These offences were horrendous for the victims who were subject to abuse over several years and had to relive their experiences in a crown court trial because Landall refused to admit his crimes.

'It is possible other victims linked to Landall have not yet come forward and I would encourage anyone who thinks they might have been to get in touch so we can make sure justice is served.'