Priest, 82, jailed for 9 years over ‘despicable’ catalogue of child abuse
A PRIEST has been jailed for nine years over a ‘despicable’ catalogue of historical sexual abuse against three boys and a trainee clergyman.
Father Francis Moore, 82, targeted ‘vulnerable’ victims as young as five.
Yesterday, one of his victims bravely waived his right to anonymity to welcome that ‘justice is done’ – and urged other abuse survivors to come forward.
Moore was found guilty at the High Court in Glasgow last month.
Sentencing him yesterday, Judge Lady Rae said: ‘You have been convicted of despicable crimes involving the sexual abuse of three children 40 years ago and more recently of a student priest.
‘You took advantage of your position. What you did was a gross breach of trust. The complainers have displayed considerable courage in coming forward.’
She told Moore that by going to trial he had forced his victims to relive the traumatic experiences they suffered at his hands.
Outside court, Paul Smyth, 49, waived his right to remain anonymous and said: ‘I am glad justice is done and I can finally put this behind me. I am sure there are other survivors who were too scared to come forward.
‘I urge all victims of historical abuse to go to the police.’
Moore had denied sexually abusing the three boys and a student priest at various locations in Ayrshire between 1977 and 1996.
The court heard that allegations against him were first raised in 1996 but it was not until 2015 that a major police inquiry began, after former policeman and ex-Labour MSP Graeme Pearson raised the issue in the Scottish parliament.
Bishop Maurice Taylor, 91, told the court Moore had admitted ‘an attraction to boys’ and ‘a desire to abuse minors’. He said Moore was sent to a clinic in Toronto and on his return was told he could no longer serve as a parish priest.
The court heard Moore’s youngest target was five when he was abused at primary school.
Now 46, he said Moore kissed him then sexually abused him. Sobbing, he added: ‘Time sort of froze. He had his hands running up and down my back. He kept saying I was a nice boy.’
The witness told the court he was abused four or five times over a six-month period.
Another man, 49, said he was 11 when Moore, his parish priest, twice abused him after they went swimming at Irvine beach. A third victim, who has been a priest for more than 20 years, said he twice woke to find Moore beside his bed, adding: ‘He was quite drunk.’
Another survivor, now 52, said when he was between 11 and 13 he went swimming in Irvine with Moore, who tried to grab his towel and said: ‘We’re all boys here.’
Moore was quizzed about two alleged incidents involving the boy and told police: ‘It disgusts me that would happen to a child.’
Gordon Jackson, QC, defending, said: ‘[Moore] has had difficulties with his own sexuality.’
Kenny Donnelly, procurator fiscal for sexual offences in the East of Scotland, said: ‘The actions of Francis Moore have had a devastating impact on the lives of his vulnerable victims.’