Catholic priest Father Tim Hopkins quizzed over eleven-year-old girl sex abuse allegations

December 08, 2012

Father Tim Hopkins was interviewed under caution over allegations he sexually abused a girl aged 11

Father Tim Hopkins, 44, was interviewed under caution by detectives investigating allegations a girl was molested on three occasions between 2004 and 2007. It is understood he was not arrested.

 

He has been suspended from his church duties by the Salford diocese as a 'neutral act' while the police probe continues.

Fr Hopkins remains a governor at St Bedes RC College in Whalley Range, Thomas More RC College in Denton and St Mary's RC Primary.

Before taking over as parish priest for the Haughton Green area of Denton in 2010, Fr Hopkins had been priest at St Vincent's in Openshaw and St Brigid's in Beswick.

The incidents are alleged to have taken place in Manchester, not Tameside, in connection with Fr Hopkins' ministry.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: “A 44-year-old man has been interviewed by detectives investigating a report of sexual abuse."

Police added the questioning related to alleged assaults between 2004 and 2007 when the complainant was aged between 11 and 14, and that inquiries were ongoing.

See http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1595632_catholic-priest-father-tim-hopkins-quizzed-over-eleven-year-old-girl-sex-abuse-allegations

Catholic Church loses child sex abuse liability appeal

A ruling that the Catholic Church can be held liable for the wrongdoings of its priests has been upheld.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-18278529

Last year Mr Justice MacDuff decided in favour of a woman, now 47 and known as JGE who reports that  as a child she was beaten by a nun at a care home in Hampshire and later raped and sexually assaulted by a priest of the Portsmouth Diocese, Fr Wilfred Baldwin, who has since died.
The Court of Appeal has upheld this decision, which raises "an issue of wide general importance in respect of claims against the Catholic Church".

Lawyers for the claimant said of the ruling in November 2011 that it was the first time a court had been asked to rule on whether the "relationship between a Catholic priest and his bishop is akin to an employment relationship".
After the latest hearing, the claimant's lawyer Tracey Emmott said: 'It is hoped that this ruling will now be accepted, and that victims of abuse by Catholic priests can be treated with the dignity and respect they deserve."
The Court of Appeal judgement said the diocese could not appeal against the decision until a similar case at the Supreme Court on 23 July had been concluded.
Speaking after the original ruling last year, the alleged victim said: "I relive it in my nightmares. It doesn't go just because I'm not in a court room - because I know that when I go to sleep it will be there.

Meanwhile, it is interesting to note that according to The Catholic Herald (http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/commentandblogs/2012/07/11/on-archbishop-menninis-advice-bishop-mark-daviess-right-hand-man-has-been-appointed-bishop-of-portsmouth-this-is-the-dawning-of-a-new-era/)  “Bishop Mark Davies’s right-hand man has been appointed as Bishop of Portsmouth”

This, of course is the same Mark Davies, Bishop of Shrewsbury, who was previously the vicar general in the Diocese of Salford where Father Thomas Doherty was never laicised, despite being convicted in 1998 for five offences of indecency against a child and being sentenced to six years imprisonment (Doherty went to his grave in 2010 retaining his canonical status as a priest) and where many are waiting to see what the impact of today’s ruling will be in the cases of survivors of abuse by deceased Salford diocesan priests (see http://caads.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/bishop-of-salford-forced-to-apologise.html ).  

“There can be no place in the priesthood for those who harm the young.”

Wirral Catholic priest Father Peter Hooper with “unhealthy interest in adolescent boys” jailed for five years

See below and http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2012/06/15/wirral-catholic-priest-father-peter-hooper-with-an-unhealthy-interest-in-adolescent-boys-jailed-for-five-years-100252-31193037/#ixzz1xu8cb6TN for details.

Meanwhile, it is interesting to note that the Rt. Rev. Mark Davies, Bishop of Shrewsbury, who said today (15 June 2012) that “There can be no place in the priesthood for those who harm the young.” was previously the vicar general in the Diocese of Salford where Father Thomas Doherty was never laicised, despite being convicted in 1998 for five offences of indecency against a child and being sentenced to six years imprisonment. (Doherty went to his grave in 2010 retaining his canonical status as a priest.) It remains to be seen whether we can trust Davies’ rhetoric in this more recent case and whether Hooper will actually be laicised. Given Davies’ history in the Diocese of Salford, it will certainly be necessary to monitor what actually happens!  

A CATHOLIC priest with “an unhealthy interest in adolescent boys” was locked up for five years.

Father Peter Hooper, the parish priest at St Luke's the Physician, in Bebington, was caught performing a sex act on an underage boy in the diocesan house where he lived.

The 55-year-old  pleaded guilty to 10  counts of sexual activity with a child. At yesterday’s sentencing hearing he was  supported at Liverpool Crown Court by more than a dozen parishioners  and two priests.

Robert Jansen, prosecuting, told the court a social gathering at the diocesan house, in Church Road, Bebington, was winding down when Hooper was caught out.

He said: "There was a gentleman called Matthew Howard, who at the time was living at this defendant's address, and had been for some years.

"As the social gathering was coming to an end...Mr Howard had cause to walk past the kitchen window and look inside.”

The lawyer said Mr Howard saw the boy and the priest perform a sex act on  each other.

Mr Jansen said Hooper was arrested and admitted carrying out sex acts on the boy though he said they did not have full sex – this was accepted.

The boy, who cannot be named, was interviewed and said he met Hooper through a band he was in  made up entirely of priests.

The pair grew close after he told Hooper, a trained counsellor, about  problems he was facing  in his life.

He said at one stage he went to hug the priest who then kissed him on the cheek and then moved to kiss him on the mouth.

The sexual contact followed in the boy's family home and then later at the diocese house.

 Judge David Aubrey QC said: "You have betrayed your religion, you have betrayed your church, you have betrayed your parishioners.

"More significantly you have betrayed your victim who was just 14 and 15 years of age and vulnerable and in truth he was in your care while in your home and you were in his.

"You have also betrayed his mother. They are both devout Roman Catholics who are now in consequence of that which you have done challenging the church.

"In my judgement you have an unhealthy interest in adolescent boys as this case has demonstrated.

"You have failed in your responsibilities and duties as a Catholic priest. You have abused and failed everybody who has placed their trust in you.

"You knew when you crossed the boundary. You wished to cross the boundary. Your actions were a gross breach of trust.

"You have fallen from grace and lost your ministry. The offences are so serious that only an immediate custodial sentence is justified for them."

He jailed Hooper for five years – of which he must serve half less 37 days spent on remand.

Judge Aubrey ordered him to sign on the sex offenders register, made a sexual offences prevention order and banned him from working with children.

Bespectacled Hooper, wearing a red polo shirt and grey jumper, signalled to supporters as he was taken to jail.

After the sentencing The Rt Rev. Mark Davies, Bishop of Shrewsbury, said: “I wish to express today both the sorrow and the horror felt within the Catholic community at these offences and the betrayal of trust involved.

“There can be no place in the priesthood for those who harm the young.”

Hooper was appointed priest at St Luke’s in 2006 after leaving St Werburgh’s, in Chester.

Safeguarding Commission refuses to say whether perpetrator has been laicised

William Green the former parish priest of Holy Family Roman Catholic Church, Wigan was arrested on 27 December 2007. In August 2008 he was convicted at Manchester Crown Court of 26 offences of indecent assault. 

On 1 October 2008, he was sentenced to six years imprisonment (Case No: T20080502).  

In 2008, the Manchester Evening News reported, “Father William Green 67, had pleaded guilty to 27 assaults on six - boys aged between 11 and 15 at St Bede's School in Alexandra Park while head of religious education, and a deputy prefect there, and assault on an eight year old at a different school at which he had previously taught. 

Passing sentence, Judge Clement Goldstone told Green "You systematically and sexually abused these boys, who were vulnerable and impressionable, and they were groomed by you for the purposes of your own sexual gratification." You abused them in school, on school trips and on church-related activities, and you procured the trust and respect of families of several of your victims. You breached their trust and friendship remorsefully and repeatedly.” (see http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1069987_pervert_priest_jailed)

Subsequently, in September 2010 “church chiefs vowed that (Green) would never minister to the public again” and a spokesperson for the Diocese of Salford said “William Green is in the process of being laicised.” A former parishioner said “It is an absolute disgrace that this man should still be part of the Roman Catholic clergy.” (see http://www.wigantoday.net/news/sex_beast_still_a_priest_1_1545444 )

Then in December 2010, a spokesperson for the Diocese said that the laicisation was on-going and was out of their hands. (see http://www.wigantoday.net/news/paedo_priest_anger_1_2866892)

However, nothing has been said since December 2010 about Green’s laicisation. Therefore on 2 May 2012, I wrote to the Diocese of Salford Safeguarding Commission and asked,

·         Has Green yet been dismissed from the clerical state under Canon 290?

·         Has Green yet lost his right to be a potential beneficiary of a potential beneficiary of a bishop’s obligations under Canon 384 “to ensure that” he is “provided with adequate means of livelihood and social welfare, in accordance with the law”?

Yesterday (9 May 2012), I received a reply from Michael Devlin, the Chair of the Diocese of Salford Safeguarding Commission. He wrote,

“You will be aware it is not our policy to comment on individual cases, and we shall not be responding to your correspondence accordingly, nor will Ms Lundergan when she is in post.

I have responded today (10 May 2012) saying,

“Dear Mr Devlin,

 Thank you for you e-mail of 9 May 2012.

I note your refusal to tell me whether Father William Green, the former parish 

priest of Holy Family, Wigan has been laicised, as would be expected given 

recommendation 78 of the Nolan Committee's report and the fact that Father 

Green was convicted in August 2008 of 26 offences of indecent assault 

against children and sentenced in October 2008 to 6 years imprisonment.

In light of your refusal to tell me whether Green has been laicised, I would 

ask you, as Chair of the Diocese of Salford Safeguarding Commission, to 

please respond to the following  queries,   

1. Could you please tell me where I can access a copy of the Diocese of 

Salford Safeguarding Commission's policy regarding commenting on cases 

of diocesan priests who have been convicted of offences against children?

2. Could you please explain to me how  your refusal to give information 

about whether Father William Green has been laicised is consistent with 

the previous willingness of the Diocese to tell the press, in September 2010, 

that "William Green is in the process of being laicised" 

(see   http://www.wigantoday.net/news/local-news/sex-beast-still-a-priest-1-1545444 ) 

and, in December 2010, to tell them that  "the laicisation was on-going and 

was out of their hands. Green was asked by the Diocese of Salford in January 

2009 to apply for laicisation, which he did. The application went to the Bishop, 

who then sent it to Rome to be considered by the Congregation for the Defence 

of the Faith (CDF)" (http://www.wigantoday.net/news/paedo_priest_anger_1_2866892 ).

3. Could you please, also, explain to me how your refusal to give information 

about whether Father William Green has been laicised is consistent with your 

willingness during the meeting which you had with Mike Harding and Paul 

Malpas on 10 September 2010 (see http://www.mediafire.com/?se3udyzz3jql7gr 

for an audio recording) to volunteer several pieces of detailed information 

about Green's case apparently entirely at your own volition?

4. Could you please tell me when Ms Lundergan is taking up her role as 

the new safeguarding coordinator?

I look forward to your reply.

 Yours sincerely,

 Philip Gilligan”

Presentation at BAPSCAN Congress, Belfast 18 April 2012

see http://www.baspcan.org.uk/files/Gilligan%20Philip%20W43%20Wed%209.00.pdf