UNITED KINGDOM
Wigan Today

A “cruel sadistic” catholic priest who repeatedly raped a boy almost 40 years ago in a former Wigan seminary was jailed for 17 years today.

A judge told 74-year-old Father Michael Higginbottom: “For about six months in the late 1970s you made a young boy’s life a living hell.”

The offences, which a jury found him guilty of yesterday, took place at St Joseph’s seminary in Upholland in UpHolland where the defendant was a priest and teacher.

Judge Andrew Menary, QC described Higginbottom as “someone who undoubtedly had a mean and cruel strike.

The evidence makes plain that when you were teaching you employed methods that today – if not then – would be recognised for what they were cruel sadistic bullying.”

He said that the victim, now aged 52, “has been haunted by demons” ever since and an eloquent and moving impact statement from…