A PRIEST has claimed a crisis in the Catholic church provoked him to release a controversial book that included allegations of a gay mafia in the priesthood.

Father Matthew Despard said the resignation of Cardinal Keith O'Brien and a lack of leadership from senior church figures last year led to him publishing Priesthood In Crisis, a book he had written three years before.

Cardinal O'Brien resigned from the church in disgrace amid allegations of sexual misconduct from three priests and one former priest.

Father Despard, 49, was later ordered to leave his home at St John Ogilvie in High Blantyre, Lanarkshire, on the orders of the Bishop of Motherwell, Joseph Toal, but he refused.

The civil hearing before Sheriff Joyce Powrie at Hamilton Sheriff Court had earlier heard Father William Nolan deny he targeted Father Despard after being offended by his book. Father Nolan, 60, replaced Father Despard at St John Ogilvie Church following the dispute with Church authorities.

Bishop Toal told Father Despard to leave the house in November last year.

Although he refused to move, the church has now taken legal action to evict him.

Yesterday Father Despard told the hearing he took the decision to publish his book because "a lot of people were very let down by the senior figure of the Catholic Church in Scotland and they were looking for some counsel".

He said the Cardinal O'Brien incident had caused a crisis within the Catholic Church.

The hearing continues.