St Benet’s Priest Steps down over School Controversy

Oxford Mail
August 16, 2013

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/yourtown/oxford/10616243.St_Benet___s_priest_steps_down_over_school_controversy/

A FORMER headteacher of a boarding school at the centre of sexual abuse allegations has “stepped aside” from his position at an Oxford hall.

It follows allegations that Father Francis Davison failed to act on reports of sexual abuse that were made during his time at the Catholic Fort Augustus Abbey School in the Scottish Highlands in the 1970s while he was headmaster.

Yesterday a St Benet’s Hall spokesman confirmed he had stepped aside from his role of religious superior at the hall in St Giles, where he was responsible for the welfare of student monks at the university for a year.

He added: “We would like to offer our heartfelt sympathies to former pupils of Fort Augustus Abbey School and their families.

“As investigations into matters at Fort Augustus Abbey School and Carlekemp Priory school are ongoing, we can confirm that Fr Francis Davidson has stepped aside from his role of religious superior of St Benet’s Hall.”

St Benet’s Hall is a permanent private hall of the University of Oxford.

Alleged victims who attended the Abbey school have told a BBC Scotland investigation that they were molested and beaten by monks over a period of 30 years from the 1950s.