Priest’s campaign of abuse ignored by authorities – Court

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News Guardian (newsgaurdian.co.uk)

Published on Tuesday 13 May 2008 08:58

A CATHOLIC priest’s campaign of sexual abuse was ignored by the authorities, a court heard.

For forty years, Father John Benedict Corrigan thought he had escaped justice for indecently assaulting four youngsters between 1967 and 1972.

But Corrigan was caught by the persistence of his victims desperate to make their voices heard, and was finally arrested in 2002 before being extradited from his home in Ireland to face trial on Tyneside.

Corrigan, of Wesport inCounty Mayo,Ireland, pleaded guilty to nine offences of indecent assault when he appeared at Newcastle Crown Court.

Jailing him for four years, Judge David Hodson, the Recorder of Newcastle, said: “You thought that no-one would speak and if they did their word would not be believed against yours.

“When complaints were later made those thoughts were proved right.

“Both the church and the police did nothing.

“But you will not be punished for the failings of others. You will be sentenced for what you did.”

When one of the youngsters came forward at the time and spoke of their abuse she was ignored, criticised, and blamed for “shaming” her family,

Newcastle Crown Court was told.

But when another victim came forward in 2002, Corrigan, now 72, was arrested and extradited during a drawn-out legal process.

He sat throughout the court hearing with his hand shielding his face from the packed public gallery.

Penny Moreland, prosecuting at Newcastle Crown Court, said the victims felt they were unable to come forward because of the climate at the time.

“Because of the high regard in which a priest was held during that time period the defendant knew that the victims would comply with whatever the defendant chose to do.

“The boys would be unable to speak and be unable to tell anybody.

“If anything was ever said no-one would believe the children against the priest.”

Known as Fr Ben, Corrigan also worked in other parishes across Tyneside andCountyDurham.

He moved toGalwayand retired in 1994.

He will be disqualified from working with children indefinitely and must sign on the sex offenders register.

Fr Dennis Tindle, diocesan safeguarding co-ordinator, said: “Church authorities have worked fully with the police and other statutory agencies following our own extensive procedures to see that justice is done and to support those who were harmed.

“To abuse a position of great trust, causing grave damage to others, is always inexcusable and overshadows whatever undoubted good an offender has also done.”

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Pervert priest jailed at last after allegations ignored for decades

The Northern Echo (thenorthernecho.co.uk)

3:27pm Tuesday 13th May 2008

 

A CAMPAIGN of child abuse by a perverted priest was ignored by church authorities for decades, even though several of his victims spoke out.

Retired priest Father John Corrigan was jailed for four years today for the abuse of three altar boys and a girl in the sacristy and vestry of hisGatesheadchurch dating back 40 years.

The 72-year-old, who also worked in parishes in Seaham andNewcastle, admitted nine charges of indecent assault between 1967 and 1972 and must now register as a sex offender for life.

Judge David Hodson told Corrigan: “By virtue of your priesthood you were in an especially privileged position, you were regarded by your parishioners as a person with whom the safety and innocence of the children in your charge would be safe.

“Over a period of about five years, you breached that trust in the grossest way.”

Newcastle Crown Court heard how his teenage female victim reported the abuse at the time, but the authorities refused to listen.

Prosecutor Penny Moreland told the court: “It was she who got the dressing down from the parish priest, it was she who was told she was a bad girl who had shamed her family by saying wicked things about the defendant.”

The woman, now in her 50s, was in court yesterday to see Corrigan, who sat with his head in his hand throughout the hearing, finally brought to justice.

The court was told that one of the male victims, who was abused when he was around eight-years-old, went to the authorities in the 1980s but he too was ignored.

An investigation was finally launched in 2002, after the third victim finally reported Corrigan’s crimes, and he was extradited from his nativeIreland, where he had retired.

Defence barrister Tony Hawks said it took great “moral courage” for Corrigan to admit his guilt and has committed no offences before or since.

Judge Hodson told Corrigan: “You believed your position was unassailable.

“You thought no-one would complain and even if they did their word would not be believed as against yours.”

Speaking after the hearing Father Dennis Tindall, Diocesan Safeguarding Co-ordinator of the Diocese of Hexham andNewcastle, said he has worked closely with some of the victims.

He added: “We do not have a good history on this subject.

“We need to acknowledge things weren’t always done correctly on the past.”

 

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