Priest: "I Am Easy Target for Sex Allegations"

The Sentinel
February 2, 2012

http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/Priest-easy-target/story-15110196-detail/story.html

He took to the stand at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court yesterday to deny sexually abusing eight boys across the Midlands during a 20-year period.

The 58-year-old is on trial charged with 27 offences including indecency and indecent assault.

Yesterday, he told a jury that he can't remember two of the alleged victims and believes all eight, who cannot be named for legal reasons, have made it up in order to claim compensation.

Giving evidence, he said he had befriended a number of families through his work since being ordained in 1979.

Walsh, who served as a priest in Cheadle for 14 years, also admitted to taking groups of children swimming and being in the company of children.

But he repeatedly answered "no" or "never" to questions relating to claims of sexual abusing them.

One of the alleged victims claimed he was plied with a cocktail of spirits and was told he was drinking the blood of Christ in a communion-like ceremony before being indecently assaulted as a boy.

Walsh claims the man only went to the police after hearing details of another allegation made against him.

He said in court: "Why on earth would I abuse a child who has little connection to the church by trying to bring religion into it?"

Robert Price, prosecuting, asked Walsh: "Your case is that each of these now grown-up men has decided to make things up against you?"

Walsh, who has also worked in Newcastle and Burslem, replied: "Yes. I am an easy target."

He later added: "Sadly I think the reason is money for all of them."

Walsh told the court he had come into contact with thousands of children during his career and taken hundreds of them swimming.

Five of the alleged victims claim Walsh, who was known to them as Father Bede, abused them in locations including a swimming pool.

When asked if he ever made children in his care touch him, Walsh replied: "Never.

"The only time I touched children in the swimming pool was sometimes when I would bomb them but never indecently."

He also denied making children dress in nappies and taking photos of them in the changing rooms.

Other alleged victims claimed Walsh abused them during home visits when they were off school sick.

Walsh said: "With 300 children in a primary school, the number of children off with a tummy bug would probably be more than 10 during the day and the school wouldn't even notify me."

Walsh was convicted of downloading indecent images of children from the internet in 2005.

The jury has already been told that images of young boys wearing nappies and swimming trunks were found on his computer.

Websites with a sexual nature relating to boys had also been accessed, as well as a number of stories concerning the sexual abuse of young boys.

Walsh said yesterday that he went on to one of the websites "out of curiosity", denied he had a sexual interest in young boys and that he was in a "very evil place" at the time.

He said: "I admitted I did immense wrong."

Walsh spent 23 years working in North Staffordshire.

He also worked at Cotton College, near Alton, and lived in Mow Cop for a time.

The former governor and chaplain at Painsley Catholic High School, in Cheadle, now lives in church accommodation in Church Lane, Abbots Bromley, near Rugeley.

The jury has been instructed to return a not guilty verdict on one charge of indecent assault, because certain information didn't emerge during evidence.

Other witnesses for the defence are due to give their evidence to the court today.