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	London Catholic School Sex Abuse Claims Inquiry Ordered by Vatican London 24 October 26, 2011 http://www.london24.com/news/london_catholic_school_sex_abuse_claims_inquiry_ordered_by_vatican_1_1108889 St Benedict's School, a private independent Catholic school which is part of Ealing Abbey in west London, has been the focus of allegations of abuse. The apostolic visitation, as the inquiry is known, is reported to be the first of its kind in Britain. It will be conducted by Bishop John Arnold, an auxiliary Bishop of Westminster, and Father Richard Yeo, president of the English Benedictine Congregation. A spokesman for the Diocese of Westminster said they had visited Ealing Abbey and met members of the community in September as part of the inquiry. He added: "The effective safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults is a priority for the Catholic Church and Ealing Abbey's safeguarding policies and procedures formed part of the remit of the apostolic visitation." In October 2009 a Catholic priest referred to as the "devil in a dog collar" was jailed for eight years over a string of sex attacks on boys at St Benedict's. Father David Pearce was jailed at Isleworth Crown Court after pleading guilty to a series of indecent assaults and sexual attacks on five young boys, four under 14, over a period of 36 years. Judge Andrew McDowall told him: "Only the recording angel will know what was going on, what was done and what was not done. "At some later stage, a higher court than this will be deciding the exact balance to be put upon your conduct." After the case, one of his victims described him as the "devil in a dog collar". Pearce admitted 10 counts of indecent assault and one count of sexual assault on five victims between 1972 and 2008. St Benedict's abbot Martin Shipperlee commissioned an independent review by Lord Carlile of Berriew QC into the case, and a review of safeguarding arrangements, policies and procedures is on the abbey's website, with a range of recommendations. Meanwhile, earlier this month police revealed they were hunting a Catholic cleric wanted over allegations of child abuse reported to date back to when he taught at St Benedict's. Father Laurence Soper, who was abbot of Ealing Abbey from 1991 to 2000, failed to return to a police station for questioning. He is believed to have been living in a monastery in Rome but was due to return to London to answer bail in March. He failed to show up and police are now looking for him, with possibilities of a European arrest warrant being issued if he is thought to be somewhere on the continent.
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