Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

The Freethinker

Home
Nonreligious
Catholic paedophile, 96, jailed again for abusing boys

Catholic paedophile, 96, jailed again for abusing boys

Last updated on: July 29, 2020 at 1:08 pm by Barry Duke

Catholic paedophile, 96, jailed again for abusing boys 2020-07-29T13:08:24+02:00 Barry Duke

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Image via BBC

IN 2017 retired UK priest John Kevin Murphy, above, was sentenced to three years for sexually abusing four young boys. Now it’s reported that he’s was jailed yesterday for a further five years after he pleaded guilty to 32 offences involving indecent assault and indecency.

All but one of the ex-priest’s six victims came forward to police after seeing media reports about him being jailed in 2017 for molesting other boys.

Arthur Gibson, prosecuting Murphy at Liverpool Crown Court, said:

The picture that emerges from the two cases is that for some 27 years the defendant was a predatory paedophile who used his position as a Catholic priest to groom and subsequently abuse at least ten children.

The court heard how Murphy, of Hillside Crescent, Horwich, had been ordained as a priest in 1962 and served in a number of parishes in the Merseyside, Lancashire and Greater Manchester until he retired.

The six victims, who were aged between eight and 16 at the times of the offences, were molested while he took them on swimming lessons and also while visiting the homes of their devout Catholic parents.

Some felt unable to speak out because they knew it would devastate their parents and one, who broke down while reading his impact statement, told the judge how he has a deep-seated anger towards his parents because:

Their devotion to their religion blinded them in the face of a monster using his job as a priest to abuse me and other children.

Judge Anil Murray, who had jailed him for three years in December 2017 for the previous offences, told the defendant:

Your offending has had a devastating impact on your victims for decades and they are still really seriously affected by what you did.

He said examples of this included loss of confidence, nightmares, loss of faith in the Catholic church and feelings of shame.

It is no exaggeration to say you ruined many lives. Youwere a priest at the time and you used your position of standing in society to commit these offences and cover them up … Because of your position in the church you were greatly trusted and respected, possibly revered, and you abused that trust.

He said that Murphy claimed in his pre-sentence report not being able to recall committing the offences or having an attraction to males.

You say you have no memory of these offences. I’m afraid I cannot accept that especially in the light of the evidence of a psychologist who said you do not present with any significant neurological impairment.

I cannot therefore accept your expression of remorse as genuine. You were effectively living a lie and using your good character and standing in society to commit these offences and got away with it for so long.

The abuse of the victims, some of them altar boys, occurred at swimming baths in Liverpool and Leigh, on camping trips and at the homes of the victims in Liverpool, Whiston and Ashton-in-Makerfield.

One told how he had been horrified when years later Murphy helped at his mother’s funeral mass and he consequently felt unable to visit her grave for ten years.

Lee Bonner, defending, said:

He is deeply sorry for the pain, harm and distress which his past conduct has caused.

He added that Murphy is frail and has various health problems including diabetes and a heart condition.

After his conviction in 2017 a Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Liverpool spokesman expressed:

Profound sorrow for the terrible crimes committed. The fact these crimes took place in the past, and a guilty plea was entered, in no way lessens the serious impact of them on the victims.

Image supplied

Meanwhile it’s reported from Australia that John Patrick Casey, above, a former Catholic priest and police chaplain, has lost his appeal appeal against his convictions of sexually abusing young boys in northern NSW.

Casey was in charge of a church in the Lismore Diocese when he molested two boys at his parish house in the mid 1980s. He was in his 30s when he fingered a boy’s anus as he washed him in the shower and ejaculated towards the head of another boy.

Now 72, and serving a minimum three-year jail sentence, Casey was employed as a police chaplain up until the day of his arrest in July 2015 after his victims finally came forward.

At the second of two lengthy trials, a jury found him guilty in 2018 of two charges including sexual assault of a person under 16 without consent and indecent assault of a person under 16 without consent.

Casey was found not guilty of four additional charges.

He was sentenced to four years and ten months jail.

He appealed against his convictions in the Supreme Court on the grounds there had been a miscarriage of justice, claiming the judge had not properly explained that the jury could take into account reasonable doubt, and that the prosecution’s pursuit of him was an abuse of process.

Casey will be eligible for parole in May 2021.

Hat tip: BarrieJohn

• If you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee – and boy, do I get through a LOT of coffee keeping this site active – please click the link below.

I’d love a cup of coffee

Fr John Patrick Casey

Previous Post

July 28, 2020

Anti-Semitism: Row erupts over politician's digitally-enlarged nose

Next Post

July 29, 2020 Mad doc counts Trump as a fan after he retweets her crazy video

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Archive My Atheism News Opinion Reviews Uncategorized

Select a Month December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 March 2007 April 2006 February 2006

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

How many days did the Israelites march around Jericho before the walls fell?

Select your answer to see how you score.

7 days 40 days 12 days 3 days

Books by This Author Books by The Freethinker

See All Titles »