Wellington  - Rodger Moloney, a 73-year-old Catholic clergyman, was found guilty Wednesday on seven charges of sexually abusing intellectually handicapped boys at a boarding school in Christchurch 30 years ago, news reports said.

A Christchurch High Court jury cleared Moloney on 16 other charges. Moloney was prior of the St John of God order, which ran the school. He will be sentenced at a later date.

Another priest who worked the school is already serving a prison sentence after being convicted on similar charges of sex attacks on boys between 1974 and 1977. (dpa)