Catholic Church Claims it is Incapable of Protecting Children from Paedophile Priest

Despite the Catholic Church’s encouraging public response to the revelations and reports of sexual abuse within the Church, their private response has been altogether very different.

Whilst the Pope has spoken of his dismay at the betrayal of the many children within the Church who have fallen victim to paedophile Priests and stated that efforts are being made to repair the past injustices suffered by victims, the reality is that the Church is doing all it can to avoid responsibility for the acts of their paedophile Priests.

Bolt Burdon Kemp act for a group of victims who suffered the most serious sexual abuse at the hands of a Catholic Priest during the 1970s. The group made the incredibly brave decision to stand up against the abuse they had suffered years later and the priest in question was tried and convicted and given a lengthy prison sentence.

In responding to the victims’ claims for compensation to secure the psychiatric treatment they require, the Church, whilst not denying that the abuse took place, is seeking to avoid all responsibility for it by claiming that they were incapable of protecting children as even though the Priest was a paedophile, Church laws prevented them from removing him from the Priesthood.

To compound the revelation that the Church laws prevent the Church from removing paedophile Priests, they further claim that they did not owe the children any duty of care.

These claims from the Catholic Church are in stark contrast to their public response to the reports of abuse. Bolt Burdon Kemp continues to act for victims who suffered abuse at the hands of the Catholic Church to ensure that the Church does not avoid their responsibility to those they have failed in the past.