BishopAccountability.org
	A Former Crosby Altarboy Turned Church Thief Took His Own Life after Years of Abuse at the Hands of a Priest As a Child By Richard Down Crosby Herald August 28, 2009 http://www.crosbyherald.co.uk/news/crosby-news/2009/08/28/a-former-crosby-altarboy-turned-church-thief-took-his-own-life-after-years-of-abuse-at-the-hands-of-a-priest-as-a-child-92534-24552069/ A FORMER altarboy who took a fatal drugs overdose never recovered from being abused by a Catholic priest for three years as a boy, an inquest heard. Christopher Hughes, 34, developed such a hatred of the Catholic Church after being raped by a priest that he regularly took revenge by burgling churches and the homes of clergy. He was convicted for burglaries at St Edmunds Church, and St Faith’s vicarage, both in Waterloo, as well as a further theft at All Saints Church in Crosby. Finally, he brought his troubled life to an end at a half-way house in Gloucester. Mr Hughes, of Greenfield Lane, Litherland, rang his mother and friends to say goodbye after taking his fatal overdose but would not say where he was. By the time he was found on, March 7, he was already dead. His mother and siblings later received a letter saying he loved them. A Gloucestershire coroner concluded Mr Hughes committed suicide. Last night grieving mother Frances Hughes, from Litherland, said her son’s life had been ruined after the abuse by a priest who has never been prosecuted. She had only found out about the abuse 18 months ago. She said: “It started when he was about 10 with him stealing a collection box which he threw away behind the church. “His three brothers and sisters were fine but he would get in trouble. “All the offences he committed were against the Catholic Church. “It got so bad that he even had a kind of Church ASBO taken out against him.” Mr Hughes, however, remained very religious and did lots of voluntary work as a football coach and with youth clubs. He was even rebaptised and counted a Baptist pastor as a friend.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.