Sex Abuse Priest Must Pay £64,000
By Jeevan Vasagar
Originally published in The Guardian, July 26, 2001
A Roman Catholic priest who sexually abused a vulnerable parishioner was ordered to pay £64,000 damages yesterday.
Father Terance Fitzpatrick told Pamela Brown, now 47, the "sex games" would prove therapeutic and were "in the name of our Lord."
Mrs Brown, a divorcee, said she had been traumatised after 30 years of severe abuse when she turned to him for spiritual help.
The priest accompanied her to counselling sessions then coaxed her into a series of "terrifying" sexual encounters.
When the crown prosecution service decided against pressing charges she brought a civil action for assault and battery.
Judge Frances Kirkham, sitting at Birmingham county court, awarded the damages to Mrs Brown as compensation and to cover the cost of future psychiatric treatment.
The court heard that Fitzpatrick, 65, a Benedictine monk, abused Mrs Brown over two years after which she suffered flashbacks.
Gavin Millar QC, representing Mrs Brown, told the court Fitzpatrick had opted not to challenge his former parishioner's claims of abuse. The priest, who was Mrs Brown's parish priest at St Osburg's in Coventry, is now based at Douai Abbey in Berkshire.
As he left court, Father Fitzpatrick issued a statement acknowledging that he had acted foolishly and apologised.
"I very much hope that Mrs Brown is now able to move on and find a measure of healing and peace in her life." Mrs Brown's solicitor, Mark Hollinghurst, said his client was satisfied with the amount of damages, which will reach £70,480 including interest.
"The award reflects the pain and suffering she had been through as a result of the assault at the hands of Father Fitzpatrick. Mrs Brown had maintained her dignity as best she can throughout the course of the court proceedings. She leads a desperately difficult and isolated life.
"This was no affair, it was an unspeakable breach of trust by a priest whose help was sought by a vulnerable parishioner after years of earlier abuse."
Gavin Millar QC, for Mrs Brown, said Fitzpatrick only admitted liability for the assaults a month ago, previously claiming the activities were consensual. Assessing damages, Judge Kirkham criticised the priest for telling the court that he had been "led on" by Mrs Brown.
He awarded Mrs Brown £50,000 in general damages, £4,000 for future psychiatric treatment, £10,000 in aggravated damages and £6,480 interest.
