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	Angelika Priest Spared Jail Associated Press, carried in Berwickshire Today [Scotland] May 8, 2007 http://www.berwickshiretoday.co.uk/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=2859095§ionid=5908 The parish priest at the centre of the Angelika Kluk murder trial has escaped a jail sentence for contempt of court. Father Gerry Nugent, 63, was sentenced to 100 hours' community service and placed on probation for one year at the High Court in Edinburgh. Judge Lord Menzies found the priest guilty of contempt after he failed to give straight answers in the witness box during the high-profile trial. Serial sex attacker Peter Tobin was jailed for life last Friday for brutally raping and murdering Miss Kluk. The 23-year-old Polish student's mutilated body was discovered last September under the floorboards of St Patrick's Catholic church in Glasgow, where Father Nugent was priest. Self-confessed alcoholic Nugent was repeatedly warned by the judge to give clear answers as he gave evidence at church handyman Tobin's trial. But the judge's patience snapped and he found the priest in contempt by prevarication after he continued to avoid questions posed by defence counsel Donald Findlay QC. Lord Menzies' finding - made at the end of the priest's evidence - was kept secret from the jury and the media were banned from reporting it until a verdict was reached in the murder trial. Passing sentence at the High Court in Edinburgh, Lord Menzies told the priest he would normally have imposed a jail sentence for such an offence. But he took into account the priest's "outstanding history" of helping others and various reports which had been placed before him. The judge told the priest: "You were found to be in contempt of court by prevarication in a very important trial - a trial which could hardly have had a higher profile and a trial which could hardly have been more important, involving as it did a charge of murder and rape of a young woman who was staying in your own chapel house." During the trial, Nugent claimed to have had a sexual relationship with Miss Kluk, a languages student who was working in Scotland to raise funds for her studies in Gdansk, Poland. He said he felt "shame" and "disgust" with himself and admitted he had abused the position of trust he was in. The Catholic Church issued a statement repeating its apology over the wayward priest's behaviour. The Archdiocese of Glasgow also said it was unaware of the sordid allegations about Nugent's behaviour which have emerged in the media over recent days.
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