Church pays victim almost £60,000 in compensation after he was sexually abused by a former vicar

Wales Online
July 6, 2016

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/church-pays-victim-60000-compensation-11575037

St Paul's Church in Sketty, Swansea

The Church in Wales has paid nearly £60,000 in compensation to a victim of sex abuse by a paedophile vicar – believed to be the largest payment made by an Anglican church.

Officials at the Church in Wales admitted a failure to properly supervise clergyman Stephen Brooks who carried out 19 assaults on children over a seven-year period.

Former vicar Brooks, 62, was jailed in 1994 after admitting raping young boys in Sketty, Swansea , during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

One of his victims was too traumatised to give evidence against the vicar despite telling police he had been abused at St Paul’s Church in Sketty.

But a civil case launched by his solicitors 22 years after Brooks was jailed claimed the church was partly responsible for the sexual assaults.

'Huge impact on his life'

Solicitor Dino Nocivelli said: “It was clear to me that Brooks had used his position as a priest to obtain access to my client before manipulating him and then sexually abusing him.

“I felt the church were therefore equally responsible for the abuse as they had failed to supervise Brooks even though they knew he had frequent interaction with young children as a direct result of his employment.”

The Church in Wales settled the action out of court and agreed to pay the victim £58,500.

Mr Nocivelli, from law firm Bolt Burdon Kemp, added: “This was a significant case for my client who not only finally felt the church had acknowledged the abuse but had also listened and had tried to appreciate how the abuse had impacted his life.

“Survivors of child abuse should no longer have to suffer in silence and this case proved to be very important to my client’s aim to finally obtain closure and justice.”

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said the abuse had “ruined” much of his life and left him questioning his faith after the church failed to reach out to him following Brooks’ trial.

He said: “It has had a huge impact on my life and has caused me to have low self-confidence and self-esteem.

“This has caused me to have difficulties in personal relationships and I have never disclosed the abuse to a partner apart from my current partner. But even she does not know the true extent of the abuse.

“The abuse ruined so much of my life and I feel the church has also let me down as it should have stepped forward to apologise when Brooks was convicted for sexually assaulting us. The abuse has definitely dented my faith.”

'Immense harm and anguish'

When he was sentenced to four years in jail at Swansea Crown Court , Judge Martin Stephens told Brooks: “You were destined for the highest position in the Church but you have caused immense harm and anguish.”

Prosecutor Patrick Griffiths said Brooks was a “very well-liked man held in high regard and possessing considerable charisma. His integrity was unquestioned and children found him friendly and approachable.”

He became regional director of education, healthcare and communities at Santander bank in 2013 in London but resigned after being outed as a convicted sex offender.

Brooks said the time: “I deeply regret and apologise for the harm that I caused.

“I moved far away from the people I hurt and I have spent 20 years trying to do good and no harm.”

Eight of his victims had suffered mental problems and struggled with suicide and alcohol abuse in the years after the assaults.

A spokesman for the Church in Wales said: “The Church in Wales regrets that, for reasons of confidentiality, it cannot comment on any particular legal case.

“However, we stress that we deplore all abuse of children and vulnerable adults and we take safeguarding very seriously.

“We have robust procedures in place to deal with any allegations and have conducted a review of historic cases. Furthermore, we urge anyone with concerns to contact us either directly on 02920 348200 or through a member of our safeguarding team.”