Leeds monk from Ampleforth College jailed for 'appalling catalogue of abuse' of lonely pupil
A predatory monk who used his position at a famous Catholic school to abuse boys and who “hid in plain sight” has been jailed.
Pensioner Michael James Callaghan, known to pupils as Father James, groomed and abused one boy at Ampleforth College more than 30 years ago. The boy said he felt isolated and was “miles from home” and felt compelled to do as the monk said.
He would play bizarre roleplay games in a bid to sexually assault the boy on multiple occasions. He later sexually touched another boy in 2013.
The 71-year-old from Leeds denied all matters but was convicted of a catalogue of sexual offences following a six-day trial at Teesside Crown Court in May.
During the trial a doctor’s note was produced confirming that Callaghan confessed to having homsexual fantasises about boys during a surgery appointment in 1990.
The judge at Durham Crown Court today jailed him for seven years.
Judge Richard Clews told him: “Over time you groomed him for the purpose of your own sexual gratification. He was somewhat lonely, was far from home with not many friends.
“It was an appalling catalogue of abuse against a vulnerable and helpless boy. You knew he had nowhere to turn.”
He said Callaghan came across and “benevolent” and “caring”, but clearly had an ulterior motive. He added that Callaghan “hid in plain sight” and was able to continue his abuse “unabashed”.
He labelled the pervert’s offending as “thoroughly and completely selfish from beginning to end”.
Callaghan, of Kingsway Court, Harrogate Road, Moortown, was a housemaster at the fee-paying North Yorkshire school in the 1990s.
Callaghan kissed the victim on multiple occasions, grabbed him by his bottom, made him sit astride him to simulate sex, made him rub his penis and even made the boy bite Callaghan’s penis through his clothing.
He also said he forced him to simulate mouth-to-mouth on multiple occasions while pretending to have a heart attack.
The boy was not in the same house as Callaghan but said he would groom him by taking him on outings in his car, on shopping trips in York and for pub lunches.
Eventually telling the police, the victim gave a video interview in which he said: “I was in a really bad place, going through hell at school 200 miles-plus from my nearest family. I hated the sexual bit of it. If possible, I would just avoid it.”
Callaghan denied he was attracted to the boy but then said there was an “element of attraction” once the boy was in the private school’s sixth-form.
Telling the jury he was bisexual, he admitted the boy rubbed his penis over his clothes and would take part in bizarre role play, pretending to be a boy in the school that was attracted to the victim.
Callaghan maintained the “sexual element” to their relationship only occurred when the boy was over 16 and consented. He said he admitted kissing the boy on his face prior to then because he wanted to comfort him after being bullied.
He also denied the mouth-to-mouth allegations, along with the biting of his penis through his clothes.
But the doctor’s letter dating back to 1990 only served to strengthen the Crown’s case.
The jury found Callaghan guilty of 12 counts of indecent assault on the first boy, and a further offence of sexual touching of a boy in 2013, whom he had touched on the bottom after a meeting.
Of the 13 counts, 12 were of a unanimous verdict with one by a majority. The jury deliberated for over six-and-a-half hours.
Callaghan was put on the sex offender register indefinitely and given a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) for life also.