US PASTOR FACES MORE GAY CLAIMS

Disgraced homophobic US pastor Ted Haggard has been accused of having another gay affair, this time with a church volunteer.

Haggard (52) fell from grace when he was accused in 2006 of having a three year long sexual relationship with a male prostitute.

His admission that the claims were true led to him being fired from the church that he created; the New Life Church.

He also resigned as president of the National Association of Evangelicals – which is said to represent around 30 million evangelicals in the US.

Now, as Haggard is embarking on a media campaign to reform his image, claims that he also had a sexual relationship with a twenty-something male church volunteer have come to light.

Haggard’s successor as head of New Life Church, Brady Boyd, told The Associated Press that the “inappropriate, consensual sexual relationship… went on for a long period of time… it wasn’t a one-time act.”

According to reports, the volunteer had agreed to keep the matter secret in exchange for the church paying for counselling and his college education. He is now apparently planning to come forward with details of the relationship to the media.

“It wasn’t at all a settlement to make him be quiet or not tell his story. Our desire was to help him. Here was a young man who wanted to get on with his life. We considered it more compassionate assistance — certainly not hush money,” said Boyd.

Haggard has been promoting a sympathetic new documentary about his life after the 2006 scandal. He is set to appear on shows such Larry King Live and The Oprah Winfrey Show.