Birmingham Archbishop Praises Bravery of Coventry Pervert Priest's Victims
Coventry Telegraph
Roman Catholic Archbishop of Birmingham the Most Rev Bernard Longley has thanked the sex abuse victims of a former Coventry priest for their courage in bringing him to justice. Alexander Bede Walsh was yesterday convicted of 21 sexual offences against eight boys and warned that he faces a lengthy prison sentence. The archbishop said: "These are horrendous crimes, and I first want to express my deep sense of shame at what has taken place. "It is the most serious betrayal of trust. I also want to express my profound sorrow, and deep regret to each of the victims, then children, now adults, for the abuse perpetrated by Father Bede Walsh, whom they and their families trusted as a priest." In a direct message to the victims of the offences, Archbishop Longley said: "I thank you for the courage that you have shown in giving evidence to the court in order that these crimes might be brought into the light of day. "I realise that this has been an indescribably difficult and distressing time for you, your families and friends. I recognise that these crimes can cause deep and lasting damage. "It is my sincere hope that as a result of this conviction, and with the help of God, you will now be able to begin to take up again the rebuilding of your lives." The Archdiocese of Birmingham made clear that Walsh has not been in active ministry as a Catholic priest since 2004 and that the official process to remove his clerical status will now begin immediately. The court was told that Bede had used his "revered" status to wage an 18 year campaign of abuse against vulnerable boys. Six of his victims were abused in Coventry, one in Warwickshire and one in Staffordshire. Walsh, who targeted his victims between 1975 and 1993, was found guilty of two serious sexual offences and 19 counts of indecent assault by a jury at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. Adjourning sentence on Walsh yesterday, Judge Paul Glenn told the 58-year-old paedophile that a long prison sentence was inevitable. Walsh's 10-day trial heard that he already had a previous conviction for possessing child pornography when he was arrested and interviewed in 2006 after two men contacted the police to claim they had been abused in Coventry as children. Further complainants, who had been subjected to "serial, predatory" abuse, came forward between 2008 and last year and all eight victims gave evidence at the trial. Walsh, of Church Lane, Abbots Bromley, near Rugeley, Staffordshire, was cleared of six further charges. He worked at Father Hudson orphanage in Coleshill in the 1970s and at All Souls Church in Chapelfields, Coventry in the 1980s. He will be sentenced on March 9. Speaking after the case, Detective Constable Tim Bailey said he believed there may be further victims who had yet to come forward. The officer praised the bravery of the men who gave evidence against Walsh. He said: "He is supposed to be a man of the cloth but he has shown no compassion, no integrity and no humanity. He has forced grown men to come to court and relive childhood experiences of sexual abuse." Walsh had denied all the charges. One of his victims Michael Clifford, from Birmingham, waived his anonymity to speak yesterday about how he was abused at Father Hudson's home in Coleshill. He said: "I was quite shocked that a man in that sort of authority and responsibility could get away with something like that for so many years and not get reported. "I am bitter but I also feel sorry for the man because it's help as much as punishment he needed. I do want him to be punished but I think he needs help." Sue Hanson, Senior Crown Prosecutor for West Midlands CPS, said: "I hope the verdict brings a sense of closure for the victims and their families."
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