LIVERPOOL (UNITED KINGDOM)
Liverpool Echo [Liverpool, England]
October 11, 2021
By Neil Docking
A judge today said a complaint from one boy’s dad was “swept under the carpet”
A priest’s sexual abuse of two altar boys was “covered up” by the Catholic Church, a judge said today.
Father Thomas MacCarte molested two children after letting them smoke cannabis and drink alcohol at Bishop Eton Monastery in Childwall.
Liverpool Crown Court heard the teenagers have since been plagued by anger, shame and “self-hatred”, and one tried to kill himself.
But when one boy’s dad complained to Bishop Eton’s then parish priest Ralph Heskett – now the Bishop of Hallam in Sheffield – MacCarte was moved to Scotland, rather than reported to the police.
MacCarte, now 70, was found guilty of three counts of indecent assault over the attacks in Merseyside three decades ago and today jailed for four years.
Judge Gary Woodhall today said: “Rather than take action or investigate what had happened, you were simply moved on.
“The church records suggest that the reason for the move was put down to the provision of alcohol to other males.
“I am satisfied that on all the evidence that was deployed in the trial, that was not a complete report about what had been alleged against you.
“Whatever may have been communicated to those higher up within the organisation of the church, what actually happened was a cover up to avoid any embarrassment – the complaint was effectively swept under the carpet.
“You were moved on and allowed to continue working in the church and in communities without any investigation and your two victims were left wondering why it was you were simply moved on.”
Judge Woodhall said it was clear MacCarte, now of St Mary’s Monastery, Hatton Road, Perth, groomed both boys after he drank alcohol to excess.
He said: “You used both boys for your own sexual gratification, with little thought or concern about their needs or wishes.
“You bribed both with money and you threatened them that they were to stay silent, that nobody would believe them over a man of the church.”
Judge Woodhall said the victims were concerned about the effect of accusing a man of the church.
He added: “Those threats and the imbalance in the relationship between you and them bought their silence and meant that they felt unable to pursue any complaint against you.”
One victim, Boy A, thought the priest was “cool” for letting them hang out in his room, and not lecturing them about sex or lust.
But Robert Wyn Jones, prosecuting, said the priest would stroke the boy’s hair and “talk about sex and mutual masturbation”.
One time Boy A helped MacCarte get home after the priest had drunk too much, but as they walked down Woolton Road the priest grabbed him and forced his head under his cassock, to the area of his clothed groin.
Judge Woodhall today said: “He was able to fight you off.”
The judge said MacCarte also took advantage of the vulnerability of Boy B, who had turned to him for support during a difficult time.
He said: “Rather than acting in a way to help him, you provided him with alcohol and money. You invaded his personal space, you would grab him in his crotch whilst handing money over and try and kiss him.
“On two particular occasions, when you had provided him with sufficient drink such that he was intoxicated, you gave him a pornographic magazine, no doubt to arouse him, and then you indecently assaulted him by removing his lower clothing and placing his penis in your mouth.
“When you tried to get him to do the same to you, he was able to resist.”
Boy B was so “troubled” by MacCarte’s behaviour that he asked a friend to join him in going to MacCarte’s room.
Judge Woodhall said: “You made advances towards this other young male and when he became uncomfortable the two young men left.
“The friend was so troubled by what he had seen that he punched a light switch when he got home.”
He said the other boy’s parents were alerted and because of this, or what Boy B told his dad about the abuse, Boy B’s dad reported MacCarte to the church.
The two victims went to the police in 2019, after they discovered they had both been molested by the same priest.
Judge Woodhall said Boy A described how “being asked to pray for the man who abused him was damaging”.
He said: “He describes how he suffered nightmares, an unshakeable fear he had done something wrong, unexplained guilt, shame and anger, leading to deep rooted self hatred.”
Referring to Boy B, Judge Woodhall said: “He describes how what you did destroyed his relationship with Christ.
“He describes suffering from depression, anxiety and a life full of hatred, shame and guilt.”
The judge said Boy B explained he also attempted suicide.
Peter Killen, defending, said MacCarte was “probably already an alcoholic” at the time, which he realised after he went to Scotland, and was drunk during the abuse.
He said the prosecution put to MacCarte in cross-examination that “he had been weakened by his own abuse of alcohol”.
Mr Killen said MacCarte was of previous good character and went on to do “undoubtedly some good work over the next 30 years”.
He said MacCarte at 70, asthmatic and a recovered alcoholic would find prison “very difficult”.
Judge Woodhall said MacCarte “undoubtedly” had a problem with alcohol at the time, but carrying out the attacks while drunk was an aggravating not mitigating feature.
He said his good character was of “significantly less relevance here”.
Judge Woodhall said: “It was in part your character as a priest that allowed you to have access in private to these boys and young men, and it’s your good character in part that allowed you to commit the offences and to ensure no one complained.”
The judge said his age also gave him “very modest mitigation”.
Judge Woodhall said: “You have been able to live a normal life for the last 30 years, unlike your victims.”
MacCarte must sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life.
Anyone with information about or who wants to report a sexual offence allegation can call police on 101, where you will be spoken to by specially trained officers, or you can pass information to Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Support for victims is also available from the registered charity the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre Cheshire and Merseyside, who can be contacted on 01925 221 546 or 0330 363 0063, or Rape and Sexual Assault Merseyside (RASA) on 0151 558 1801.