SOME CATHOLIC TRAINING SCHOOL ABUSE CLAIMS 'DEMONSTRABLY FALSE'

Care Apppointments
September 2, 2015

http://www.careappointments.co.uk/care-news/northern-ireland/item/38037-some-catholic-training-school-abuse-claims-demonstrably-false

Fewer than 2% of residents at a Catholic-run training school in Northern Ireland made abuse allegations, a lawyer told a public inquiry.

Police considered some of the claims surrounding St Patrick's in West Belfast to be "demonstrably" false, Joseph Aiken said. Of more than 4,000 residents only 66 individuals (1.45%) made allegations to the Historical Institutional Abuse (HIA) Inquiry of some form of abuse.

Retired judge Sir Anthony Hart is leading the HIA probe, one of the UK's largest inquiries into physical, sexual and emotional harm to children at homes run by the church, state and voluntary organisations. On Tuesday it focused on St Patrick's, where sexual abuse by a member of staff has been proven.

Mr Aiken said: "Its size in percentage terms (1.45%) is striking in comparison to, for instance Rubane where approximately 20% of the 1,050 children who passed through that institution had made allegations of abuse in one form or another."