Priest Tried to Have Sex with Young Boy in Church, Court Hears

Hull Daily Mail
November 5, 2015

http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Priest-tried-sex-young-boy-church-court-hears/story-28116260-detail/story.html

ON TRIAL: From left, James Carragher, Anthony McCallen and Michael Curran.

A MAN has told a court how a priest tried to have sex with him in a church while he was at a children's home.

The man, now in his thirties, told Leeds Crown Court he was young at the time and could not remember the name of the priest at the St William's home in Market Weighton.

The prosecution claim the alleged offender was former chaplain Anthony McCallen, 69, who is on trial alongside former headmaster James Carragher, 75, and ex-teacher Michael Curran, 62.

They deny almost 90 offences between them.

In a video of his evidence, played to the jury, the man said he was sent to the home for behavioural problems.

He said he would regularly see the priest at the church, which was in the grounds of the home, and help him tidy up.

On one occasion, he said, the priest told him to remove his clothes and began touching him "in inappropriate places".

"He said I want you to take off your clothes. I want to check if there is anything wrong with you," the man said.

"So I did, because if you're a kid and an adult tells you to do it, you do it."

The man said he cried as the priest continued to touch him.

"I got a bit upset. He just told us to grow up and stop being silly," he said.

He then described how the priest attempted to have sex with him.

"I was crying because I didn't like it," he said. "I was screaming a bit. He put his hand over my mouth so people couldn't hear the sound.

"He was saying everything will be all right, you're my favourite."

He believes the priest only stopped when "he heard a noise and panicked." He said he was told to dress quickly.

Later, a member of staff noted some blood on the boy's boxer shorts but the complainant said he did not tell anyone what had happened.

Under cross-examination by John Dunning, representing McCallen, the complainant denied over a video link that his account was "a fantasy". He said he had not reported it sooner because he "just wanted it to be forgotten about and move on from it."

The complainant is one of 19 former pupils of St William's, which was run by the De La Salle Roman Catholic order, who allege they were sexually and physically abused by staff in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.

The trial continues.