A monk who worked at the famous Catholic public school in North Yorkshire has appeared in court accused of sexually abusing two pupils.
Father James Callaghan, 71, who used to be a housemaster at Ampleforth College and was reportedly a popular figure during that time, appeared in Teeside Crown Court at the start of the week to face allegations said to have taken place between 1994 and 2013, <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyg7x37d4po"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">reports</mark></a> the <em>BBC</em>.
It notes that while Callaghan denies 12 charges of indecent assault connected to a pupil aged between 14 and 18, and a charge of sexual assault related to a 17-year-old pupil, the Ampleforth monk told the court he had been attracted to the first teenager and had some sexual contact with him.
The defendant told Teesside Crown Court that any sexual contact only started when the boy was "about 17", adding: "By the time he was in sixth form I realised there was certainly an element of attraction that had entered my perception of him."
But prosecutors told the court the pupil was first assaulted when he was 14, finally disclosing the abuse to his sister 25 years later, the <em>BBC</em> reports.
It adds that the court heard how the complainant told police that Fr James first kissed him when he was under 16, with the housemaster asking to meet him after Mass at different locations.
Speaking the words of the former pupil to the court, prosecutor Mark McKone KC said: "I was in a really bad place, I was going through hell at school, I was 200 miles-plus from my nearest family. I hated the sexual bit of it."
McKone added: "Whatever [the complainant's] age, this was not true consent – this was not consent given freely by someone who had a real choice."
A second man alleges he was sexually assaulted when he was 17 and Callaghan was in his late 50s.
In a statement from Ampleforth College, the school says:<br><br>“We are aware that Fr James Callaghan, a monk who worked in the school until 2018 has been charged with indecent assualt relating to allegted incidents between 1994-97 and in 2013.
“Since July 2018, Fr James has not had any role in the College,” with the statement also highlighting: “Fr James is not resident at Ampleforth.”
“We realise that many of you knew Fr James and will be shocked and upset by the news," the statement continues.
“The College deplores abuse and we are greatly saddened by this case. Since 2018, we have overhauled our safeguarding regime and have a robust safeguarding culture with sector-leading policies, practices and procedures which we continuously improve to ensure our students are safe.<br><br>“These have been endorsed by statutory agencies. The charges against Fr James relate to a time before our safeguarding overhaul.”
In 2022, Ofsted gave Ampleforth College a clean bill of health two years after the school was banned from accepting new admissions amid concerns over safeguarding standards.
The case is scheduled to last a week.
<a href="https://thecatholicherald.com/ofsted-gives-ampleforth-the-all-clear/"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">RELATED: Ofsted gives Ampleforth the all-clear</mark></a>
<em>Photo: Ampleforth College. (Credit: Ampleforth College.)</em>
