Priest jailed for sexual abuse of teenage boy
VICTIM ‘WANTED TO DIE’
A CATHOLIC priest has been jailed for 17 years for repeatedly sexually abusing a teenage boy when he worked as a teacher in the 1970s.
A church spokesman for the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle, where Higginbottom was ordained in 1969, issued an apology to the victim after 74-year-old Father Michael Higginbottom, of West Farm Road, Newcastle, was sentenced for the abuse, which happened when he worked at St Joseph’s College in Upholland, Lancashire. Liverpool Crown Court heard his victim attended the seminary, for boys who wanted to become priests, for six months when he was aged between 13 and 14.
The church spokesman said: “The Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle expresses profound sorrow for the terrible crimes of child abuse committed by Father Michael Higginbottom and offers a heartfelt apology to the victim, who should have been afforded and expected utmost care from someone in such a position of trust.
“There can be no excuses. Our thoughts are with the victim and his family at this time.”
In a statement read to the court, the victim said: “My sexual abuse happened so often I became numb to what was happening to me.
“I cried so often I believe I could have drowned in my own tears.”
The man, now in his 50s, said he used to pray he would die to escape the abuse. He said: “There are worse things than death – living with an evil man and being left alone at Upholland.”
The trial heard he would be struck with a strap if he did not attend Higginbottom’s living quarters, where much of the abuse happened, at appointed times.
When he returned home from the school he became rebellious and his schoolwork suffered, he said.
The court heard the victim also made allegations against two other priests at the school, but both had since died.
Sentencing, Judge Andrew Menary QC said: “For a period of six months in the late 1970s you made a young boy’s life a living hell.
“What you did to him there effectively destroyed the remainder of his childhood.”
Higginbottom had denied four counts of serious sexual assault and four counts of indecent assault but was found guilty after a trial.
During his time as a physics teacher at the school, which has since closed, he would give electric shocks to pupils as a punishment, the court heard.
Judge Menary said: “You employed methods which today, if not then, would be recognised for what they were – cruel and sadistic bullying.”
The trial jury was told allegations had been made against Higginbottom by another former pupil in 2007 and the Catholic Church had settled the claim out of court for £35,000.
Police had investigated the claims and, although Higginbottom was charged, no evidence against him was offered and not guilty verdicts were entered. Higginbottom was told he would be subject to the notification requirement of the Sexual Offences Act for the rest of his life.