This blog provides information about the actions and inaction of the Diocese of Salford in cases where their priests have been convicted of criminal offences involving the abuse of children. It highlights cases such as that of William Green, former parish priest of Holy Family, Wigan who was sentenced to 6 years imprisonment for 27 offences against children aged between eight and 16 years, in 2008, but who had not been laicised (dismissed from the clerical state)two years later.
“If a bishop, priest or deacon is convicted of a criminal offence against children and is sentenced to serve a term of imprisonment of 12 months or more, then it would normally be right to initiate the process of laicisation. Failure to do so would need to be justified. Initiation of the process of laicisation may also be appropriate in other circumstances.”
Governors
at a top Catholic school rocked by historic sex abuse claims have
stepped down to shield themselves from legal action brought by almost
20 alleged victims.
Former
headmaster John Byrne is among seven governors who have resigned from
the board at St Bede’s College, the M.E.N. can reveal.
The Bishop
of Salford, the Diocese of Salford and governors at the Whalley Range
school all face being sued over accusations that former rector
Monsignor Thomas Duggan sexually abused schoolboys at St Bede’s
during the 1950s and 1960s.
The M.EN.
has learnt that one alleged victim claims he was raped by the late
Mgr Duggan as a 12-year-old. We can also reveal that accusations of
serious sexual abuse have been made against two other priests at St
Bede’s in the 1950s – Father Charles Mulholland and Father
Vincent Hamilton – who have both also since died.
It is
understood the seven lay governors have now stood down to protect
themselves from claims brought by 17 alleged victims. Ten governors
remain – including priests and some lay board members. Accused: Monsignor Thomas Duggan pictured at St Bede's
None of the
governors who have stepped down were at the school at the time of the
alleged abuse.
A
spokeswoman for St Bede’s said: “The college understands that the
governors did indeed resign tactically in order to protect themselves
insofar as possible from the legal claims.
“Whilst
it is the college’s position that the current governors can have no
personal liability for events alleged to have occurred over 50 years
ago, and before many of the current governors were even born, that
has not been accepted by the solicitors acting for some of the
claimants, so the governors felt they had no option but to resign.
“The
college deeply regrets their resignations but entirely appreciates
the reasons why they have resigned.”
At the time
of the claims against Mgr Duggan, when the Alexandra Road school was
run by the diocese, a rector was in charge. Mgr Duggan died in 1968
after leaving St Bede’s.
Georgina
Calvert-Lee, barrister at AO Advocates, which is acting on behalf of
14 alleged victims, confirmed that litigation was ‘imminent’.
She added:
“Many of the allegations are about Mgr Duggan. By all accounts he
was an oppressive presence in the school. Boys have told us how he
terrified they were of him.”
Ms
Calvert-Lee said there were allegations of harsh assaults and
beatings and Mgr Duggan was accused of raping one boy early in his
tenure and others later. She added accusations had been made against
Fr Mulholland and Fr Hamilton.
According
to Companies House, Mr Byrne, who was at the school for 25 years,
resigned in March – along with four others. Mr Byrne, of Hale
Barns, Altrincham, said: “I have resigned as governor but I cannot
comment any further because of legal proceedings.”
The Diocese
of Salford declined to comment.
The
scandal involving Mgr Duggan, which emerged in 2011, was the second
to hit St Bede’s. In 2010, Father William Green was jailed for six
years after sexually abusing a string of boys.
