UNITED KINGDOM
Northern Echo
Joanna Morris, Reporter (Darlington) / jomorrisecho
DISGRACED Catholic priest Michael Higginbottom was at the centre of a wider paedophile ring involving other clergymen, it has been alleged.
As former Darlington parish priest Higginbottom is jailed for 17 years over the abuse of a teenager, allegations have been uncovered suggesting that boys at St Joseph’s seminary were preyed upon by perverted priests.
At least four Catholic priests have been accused of abusing children at the facility in West Lancashire, with several pupils having reported horrifying mistreatment at the hands of clergymen.
Lancashire Police and the Catholic Church have issued apologies via the media to Higginbottom’s victim but maintained their lengthy silence in relation to allegations of wider abuse at St Joseph’s.
The authorities refused to address claims that a number of priests were involved in the abuse of youngsters at the seminary, including Father Ernest Sands, who killed himself last year as he was due to face charges of indecently assaulting five boys while a music teacher at the college.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.