Victim dismissed as ‘Ophelia of Hamlet’

A PRIEST charged with interviewing a woman who had been abused for four years by Fr Ronat wrote in notes afterwards that he thought she may be some kind of latterday “Ophelia of Hamlet”.

Notes following the 1995 interview with Ailis show a shocking lack of concern for the effects of abuse on a victim and for the seriousness of the allegations.

The archdeacon pondered whether Ailis was “besetting [tempting}” Fr Ronat: “Might it not be possible that [Ailis] is the Ophelia of Hamlet — sweet bells jangled”.