A former choir boy who gave courtroom evidence against a former vicar by blinking died on the same day as his abuser was found guilty.

The 47-year-old victim, who suffered from motor neurone disease, spoke to the court using eye-tracking technology and via a video link from a hospice in south London.

He described the childhood attacks by blinking his eyes using a technical set-up similar to the one used by renowned physicist Stephen Hawking to communicate.

The victim was between nine and 11 years old when he was abused by Cyril Rowe at St Matthias Church in Stoke Newington between 1979 and 1981.

The former Anglican vicar was convicted of three counts of indecent assault against the young boy relating to his tenure at the north London church.

Rowe was found guilty last Wednesday after a trial at Bournemouth Crown Court, prompted by the offences being reported to police in August 2015.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed the victim passed away shortly before he would have learned of the verdict.

"The victim died, aged 47, on the same day that the guilty verdict was returned," a spokesperson said.

"He never heard that Rowe had been convicted."

Rowe will be sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on 10 March.