By . Emma Glanfield . A married vicar who preached that gay weddings ‘destroyed’ the sanctity of marriage has been sacked after he was caught having an affair with a parishioner. Reverend Martin Howard, who is married with children, was banned from the ministry after confessing to church bosses about his relationship with a married woman from his congregation. Senior church officials in Bournemouth, Dorset, banned the Reverend for five years following an investigation. Reverend Martin Howard (pictured), who is married with children, was banned from the ministry after confessing to church bosses about his relationship with a married woman from his congregation . Senior church officials banned the Reverend for five years following an investigation into his affair with a woman from his congregation at St Mary's Church in Bournemouth, Dorset (pictured) Rev Howard, who is his 40s, publicly defended the sanctity of marriage last year after he displayed a poster at his church condemning gay marriage. Liz Howard, the wife of Rev Howard who has been banned from the ministry for adultery . The fluorescent green sign, posted outside the St Mary’s Church in Ferndown, Dorset, stated: ‘Marriage = 1 Man + 1 Woman’. At the time, he said: ‘The Government has no mandate to change the definition of marriage, and civil partnerships already give equal rights to same-sex couples. ‘Changing the law would leave clergy like me open to charges of discrimination if I refused on principle to take a same sex wedding. Is that really the tolerant society we want to create? ‘In displaying our poster, we hope marriage as we have received it will be maintained.’ And in the face of criticism from equal rights groups, he preached that ‘society is much stronger when marriage is promoted, honoured and protected’. But he was exposed as a hypocrite after the church found out about his affair with a married woman. He was handed a five-year ban by the . Diocese of Salisbury, the seventh largest Church of England area . covering Dorset and most of Wiltshire. His photograph and details have since been removed from St Mary’s Church’s website and he is now thought to be working locally as a trainee accountant. A statement issued by the Diocese of Salisbury said: ‘The Reverend Martin Howard has resigned his post as Team Rector of the Hampreston Benefice with immediate effect. Rev Howard, who is his 40s, publicly defended the sanctity of marriage last year after he displayed a poster at his church condemning gay marriage . ‘A complaint of adultery had been made under the Clergy Disciplinary Measure, which has been upheld. Rev Martin Howard is now thought to working as a trainee accountant . ‘A penalty has been imposed with Martin Howard’s consent that he be prohibited from ministry for five years. ‘The Diocese is providing pastoral support to Martin, his wife Liz and their children at a difficult time.’ Steve Lugg, a Conservative councillor for the area, said: ‘No one is perfect, and this seems to be a personal issue. ‘Everyone is entitled to their private lives, and of course this is someone with a family who will need to pick up the pieces.’ Mr Howard was handed the ban by the Diocese of Salisbury under the Church Discipline Measure. Where a penalty is imposed, either by the bishop or by the bishop's disciplinary tribunal, it is be recorded in the Archbishops' list kept maintained at Lambeth Palace, the official residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Reverend Martin Howard caught having affair with member of congregation .
The married father was banned from the ministry for five years for adultery .
Last year he defended sanctity of marriage by condemning gay marriage .
By . Emma Glanfield . A married vicar who preached that gay weddings ‘destroyed’ the sanctity of marriage has been sacked after he was caught having an affair with a parishioner. Reverend Martin Howard, who is married with children, was banned from the ministry after confessing to church bosses about his relationship with a married woman from his congregation. Senior church officials in Bournemouth, Dorset, banned the Reverend for five years following an investigation. Reverend Martin Howard (pictured), who is married with children, was banned from the ministry after confessing to church bosses about his relationship with a married woman from his congregation . Senior church officials banned the Reverend for five years following an investigation into his affair with a woman from his congregation at St Mary's Church in Bournemouth, Dorset (pictured) Rev Howard, who is his 40s, publicly defended the sanctity of marriage last year after he displayed a poster at his church condemning gay marriage. Liz Howard, the wife of Rev Howard who has been banned from the ministry for adultery . The fluorescent green sign, posted outside the St Mary’s Church in Ferndown, Dorset, stated: ‘Marriage = 1 Man + 1 Woman’. At the time, he said: ‘The Government has no mandate to change the definition of marriage, and civil partnerships already give equal rights to same-sex couples. ‘Changing the law would leave clergy like me open to charges of discrimination if I refused on principle to take a same sex wedding. Is that really the tolerant society we want to create? ‘In displaying our poster, we hope marriage as we have received it will be maintained.’ And in the face of criticism from equal rights groups, he preached that ‘society is much stronger when marriage is promoted, honoured and protected’. But he was exposed as a hypocrite after the church found out about his affair with a married woman. He was handed a five-year ban by the . Diocese of Salisbury, the seventh largest Church of England area . covering Dorset and most of Wiltshire. His photograph and details have since been removed from St Mary’s Church’s website and he is now thought to be working locally as a trainee accountant. A statement issued by the Diocese of Salisbury said: ‘The Reverend Martin Howard has resigned his post as Team Rector of the Hampreston Benefice with immediate effect. Rev Howard, who is his 40s, publicly defended the sanctity of marriage last year after he displayed a poster at his church condemning gay marriage . ‘A complaint of adultery had been made under the Clergy Disciplinary Measure, which has been upheld. Rev Martin Howard is now thought to working as a trainee accountant . ‘A penalty has been imposed with Martin Howard’s consent that he be prohibited from ministry for five years. ‘The Diocese is providing pastoral support to Martin, his wife Liz and their children at a difficult time.’ Steve Lugg, a Conservative councillor for the area, said: ‘No one is perfect, and this seems to be a personal issue. ‘Everyone is entitled to their private lives, and of course this is someone with a family who will need to pick up the pieces.’ Mr Howard was handed the ban by the Diocese of Salisbury under the Church Discipline Measure. Where a penalty is imposed, either by the bishop or by the bishop's disciplinary tribunal, it is be recorded in the Archbishops' list kept maintained at Lambeth Palace, the official residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Martin Howard, who is married with children, was who is married with children, was banned from the Reverend for five years following an his church condemning gay marriage. Liz Howard, the ministry for adultery . The fluorescent green sanctity of marriage last year after he displayed