UNITED KINGDOM
Northern Echo
Joanna Morris, Reporter (Darlington) / jomorrisecho
LANCASHIRE police have refused to answer a series of questions relating to reported abuse by priests at St Joseph’s Catholic seminary.
In 2006, the force was told of allegations suggesting Father Michael Higginbottom and other priests had abused a pupil at the college in West Lancashire.
Despite Higginbottom being based in Darlington at the time the initial reports were made, Durham Constabulary could find no record of having been informed of the allegations facing him and of having a suspected sex offender living on their patch.
The initial police investigation was eventually dropped, with the Catholic Church paying the alleged victim £35,000 in an out of court settlement.
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