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	Website Set up to Help Victims of Perverted Priest By Emma Stone Coventry Telegraph August 30, 2011 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0830/1224303189683.html A VICTIM of a paedophile priest has launched a website to track down others the clergyman may have abused. Geoff Smith was living in Walsall in the 1960s when he was targeted by priest James Robinson. The Catholic priest, who served at St Elizabeth's Church in Foleshill during the late 1970s and 1980s, was jailed for 21 years last October for sexual offences against four boys from Coventry and Birmingham. Evidence was also heard from another two of his victims, including Mr Smith. Allegations were first made to police in 1985 but Robinson fled to California days later. He was finally extradited in 2007. Mr Smith, who now lives in Ireland with his wife, gave evidence against Robinson after keeping his abuse secret. He has waived his right to anonymity. Now aged 61, he's set up an blog to chronicle his experience and encourage other victims to come forward. "I kept what happened to me a secret for 50 years," Mr Smith said. "In court, Robinson stood up, swore an oath as a priest, and told the judge that he'd never met me or my family. But I went to court and proved he was guilty beyond any reasonable doubt. "During the hearing I sat eight feet away from him. "He had a tear in his eye and knew what was coming – and he got it. He is pure evil. "There must be many more victims out there. I want them to know they are not alone." It was a weekly errand for his mum to the butchers when he was 11 that changed Mr Smith's life. He said: "One day there was a Triumph Bonneville bike leaning against the shop. I was looking at it when Robinson came out. He asked if I wanted to go on the bike. "I ran home and asked my mum, who said 'yes'. "To her, Robinson was a respectable young man. We had no reason to fear him." The apprentice priest, who had a temporary job at the butchers, took him on the bike and stopped at a house, where he began the abuse. Over a number of weeks Robinson took the youngster back to the house for more attacks. The ordeal only ended when he left the area. Mr Smith added: "It was August 8, 2009 I saw him on the news. I picked up the phone and rang the police. "Finally, I got the monkey off my back. I had felt a deep sense of guilt and shame. I had no-one to turn to when I was abused. "My parents wouldn't have believed me. I sat in court, next to victims now in their early 40s. "If I'd had the courage as an 11 year-old to report the abuse, they wouldn't have gone through what they did. Now it's time for me to help others."
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