Historic Child abuse at St William's Boys Home (UK)

Compensation test case opens in Leeds after jailing of former principal and former chaplain of children’s home for offences over 21 years



The Catholic church could face a compensation bill of millions of pounds following a test case on sexual abuse at a former children’s home which opens on Monday.

The civil case at the high court in Leeds follows the imprisonment this year of the home’s former principal and chaplain for sexual offences against 11 boys between 1970 and 1991.

Five survivors have brought a civil claim against the Catholic diocese of Middlesbrough and the De La Salle brotherhood, whose members ran St William’s Home in Market Weighton in east Yorkshire.

In total, 249 people have alleged that they were sexually and physically abused by staff at the home. If the civil case is successful, the Catholic church in the UK could face one of the biggest payouts in its history.

In January, James Carragher, the former principal, was jailed for 15 years for 21 indecent assaults and three serious sex offences, but was cleared of a further 30 charges. It was the third time he had been sent to prison for sexually abusing boys at the home.

Anthony MacCallen, the former chaplain, was convicted of 11 charges, including a serious sexual offence. He was acquitted of eight others.

In sentencing the men, Judge Geoffrey Marson QC said the survivors had suffered “severe long-term, continuing psychological harm as a result of what you did”.

The residential school, which was owned by the diocese of Middlesbrough and was run by members of the De La Salle brotherhood, took boys from troubled backgrounds referred by local authorities. It closed in 1992.

A civil action was launched in 2004, but was delayed by a dispute between the diocese and brotherhood over which was liable for an £8m compensation claim. In 2012, the supreme court ruled that both were liable.

One survivor, Nigel Feeley, told the BBC he had lived through a nightmare. “He had the power. You couldn’t get away from it. You had to live the nightmare… You couldn’t scream at him and say go away, get off me, because he had the power.”

David Greenwood of Switalskis solicitors who has represented survivors since 2003, said: “It is hoped that this trial will bring a positive conclusion to the cases for the many deserving victims of abuse at St William’s. There is no doubt that widespread sexual abuse of boys was taking place at St William’s. There have been many convictions, in 1993, 2004 and 2015. This case is a test for our civil justice system. I hope it will be able to provide real justice.”

Neither the diocese of Middlesbrough nor the De La Salle brotherhood could be reached for comment, but both have previously issued statements condemning abuse.

The case is expected to last three weeks.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/31/catholic-church-could-face-multi-million-pound-payout-as-sex-abuse-case-is-heard


St William's Catholic care home child sex abusers jailed ( 4 January 2016 )


A former chaplain and ex-principal of a Roman Catholic children's care home have been jailed for abusing boys.

Anthony McCallen and James Carragher were convicted of a total of 35 sex offences against 11 boys between 1970 and 1991 at the former St William's Children's Home in East Yorkshire.

McCallen, 69, was jailed for 15 years and Carragher, 75, for nine years.

Leeds Crown Court heard it was the third time former head Carragher had been jailed for offences at the home.

Sentencing the pair, Judge Geoffrey Marson QC said: "Each of you targeted some of the most vulnerable boys. You groomed them and abused them for your own sexual gratification.

"The victims were effectively trapped and there was no escape from you.

"They were confused, frightened and in turmoil.

"It has blighted their lives and each of you had contributed significantly to their misery."

He said the 11 victims suffered "severe long-term, continuing psychological harm as a result of what you did".
'Deeply engrained sexual interest'

In court, the judge said he had taken into account Carragher's previous convictions for offences he committed at the now defunct home - the first time in 1993 when he was jailed for seven years and then in 2004 when he was given a 14 year sentence.

He told Carragher he had to take into account the sentence he would have passed if he had heard all the evidence from all three trials and said this would have led him to a sentence of 30 years in prison, from which he deducted the 21 years Carragher had already served.

The jury heard how former chaplain McCallen had also been convicted before, of abusing two boys in the 1990s when he was found in possession of indecent photographs of boys, some of which he took through spy-holes as they showered and used the toilet.

Judge Marson said: "Each of you has a long standing, deeply engrained sexual interest in teenage boys.

"It's an interest, I have no doubt, that continues to persist."

Both will be required to serve half their sentences before they can be considered for release on licence.

During a 10-week trial at Leeds Crown Court, the pair denied 87 sex offences against children at the home, which closed in 1992.

Carragher, of Cearns Road, Merseyside, was found guilty of 21 indecent assaults and three serious sex offences, but was cleared of a further 30 charges.

McCallen, of Whernside Crescent, Ingleby Barwick, Stockton-on-Tees, was convicted of 11 charges, including a serious sexual offence. He was acquitted of eight others.

The jury was unable to reach verdicts on 13 charges and was discharged by the judge.

St William's, in Market Weighton, was owned by the Diocese of Middlesbrough and run by members of the De La Salle Brotherhood.

The diocese previously said it had condemned child abuse and McCallen's behaviour while he was a priest was a betrayal of the trust that was placed in him from the Diocese of Middlesbrough.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-humber-35221044

Jeez, is there any end to this ?

http://www.stinsonhunter.com/test/?p=5336