Abuse victim sues the heirs of dead Birmingham Archbishops

By Fionnuala Bourke
Birmingham Mail
April 15, 2014

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/catholic-church-abuse-victim-sues-6991436

The Most Reverend Maurice Couve de Murville, Archbishop Emeritus of Birmingham, outside St Chad's Metropolitan Cathedral in Birmingham in March 2007

Paedophile priest Samuel Penney leaving court in Leamington in 1992

The victim - now in his 50s - has launched a damages claim against the estates of George Dwyer and Maurice Couve de Murville

An altar boy who was sexually abused by a Catholic priest is suing the heirs of two long-dead Birmingham Archbishops.

The victim, aged in his 50s, has launched a damages claim against the estates of George Dwyer and Maurice Couve de Murville.

He asserts that the former clerics failed to “control” or “remove from post” paedophile priest Samuel Penney.

Seventy-five year-old Penney was jailed for seven-and-a-half years in 1993 after he admitted indecently assaulting seven children.

He was one of the first Catholic priests to be jailed for paedophilia.

The Archdiocese of Birmingham faced fierce criticism over the case.

It was claimed that his crimes were hidden by a “culture of cover up” in which he was moved from parish to parish following reports of abuse.

Barrister, Justin Levinson, representing the former altar boy, said in a writ lodged at London’s High Court, that his client was sexually abused, assaulted and raped by Penney.

The lawyer claimed that the Archbishops had entrusted the “safe-keeping and care” of his client to the paedophile.

He also said that the Archbishops were “in a position to remove Father Penney from his post”.

He said: “The sexual abuse and assaults perpetrated by Father Penney were committed in the course of, or were closely connected with, Father Penney’s employment and duties.

“The Archbishops were, and remain, vicariously liable for the sexual abuse and assaults of Father Penney and for the injury and damage which the claimant suffered as a result of Father Penney’s acts.”

The barrister said the former altar boy is claiming at least £300,000 in damages, having “suffered unhappiness and psychiatric difficulties,” including depression and post traumatic stress disorder.

The damages sought include the costs of therapy, and a claim for loss of earnings caused by his psychiatric injury.

Mr Levinson says the abuse “severely hampered the claimant’s health, development and education and prevented him from fulfilling his potential”.

It also “had and continues to have a detrimental effect on his self-confidence, self-esteem and ability to earn at the best possible level,” the writ states.

The defence of the personal representatives to the action was not available from the court, and the contents of the writ have yet to be tested in evidence before a judge.

Penney abused children in the Midlands for 20 years, including five children from one family in Leamington Spa. He also worked in Nechells.