Authority of church ‘aided child attacks’
THE “authority of the Catholic Church” enabled sadistic abuse to take place at Scottish boarding schools, a judge has ruled.
A report by Lady Smith has found systemic failures allowed sexual predators access to children at two schools run by the Marist Brothers.
The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry found youngsters were subjected to sickening assaults at St Columba’s College in Largs, Ayrshire, and St Joseph’s College, Dumfries, between 1950 and 1981.
It said those involved in the order’s Scottish homes exposed children to “sexual, physical and psychological danger”.
Inquiry chair Lady Smith said: “Both schools had flawed systems that allowed abusers driven by sexual motives to have easy access to children in their care.”
The inquiry heard from 43 witnesses at hearings in 2019 and yesterday concluded that two Brothers at St Columba’s were serial sex abusers, with some children
DISGUSTING suffering “sadistic treatment” at their hands.
Peter Toner was jailed for 10 years in 2019 for grooming and sexually abusing five pupils at St Columba’s in the early80s.
The paedophile – known as Brother Peter – told one victim: “I love you like a son” as he assaulted him.
In 1998, ex-St Joseph’s teacher Norman Bulloch was jailed for eight years for sex offences against two boys.
Lady Smith said: “A culture of obedience, fear of severe punishment and the authority of the Catholic Church served to empower abusers, and … rendered many victims powerless in the belief that their complaints … would not be believed.”
The inquiry also heard about the death of seven-year-old St Columba’s pupil Aldo Moroni in February 1980, who had previously been physically abused, however, it concluded the treatment did not cause his death.
Lady Smith said that the Marist Brothers provided a “sincere apology” to the inquiry.
Her findings are the last in a series of case studies investigated in relation to residential care for children by male religious orders in Scotland.
A final report will be issued on all of the evidence gathered.