Man gets €940,000 award over sexual abuse by priest

A MAN sexually abused as a child by a priest from Co Meath has won record damages in excess of €900,000.

The man, known as ‘A’ was left psychologically damaged after being systematically abused by Fr Christopher Clonan, parish priest at Christ The King Church in Coventry, England, for ten years.

Lawyers acting for the victim of Fr Clonan said they hoped the award - thought to be the biggest of its kind in Britain - would force the Church to offer “realistic compensation” to other victims.

The 35-year-old man, who now suffers from schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder, was abused between the ages of seven and 18.

The claimant was awarded £635,684 (€940,999) by the High Court in Manchester after bringing a case against the Archbishop of Birmingham and the trustees of the Birmingham Archdiocese of the Catholic Church.

A’s legal firm, Wokingham-based Clifton Ingram, said they knew of at least eight other victims.

The award means Clonan, who fled to Australia and is believed to be dead, has cost the Catholic Church almost £1 million in compensation payments.

Another victim was awarded £330,000 (€488,415) last year.

Born in Clonard, Co Meath, Christopher Oliver Clonan had been a part-time builder and property developer before entering the priesthood and being posted to Christ the King church in Coundon, Coventry, in the 1970s.

Because of his former trade, he became known as “Father Fix It” for his skills in church construction schemes. But the priest, who was known to swear like a trooper and have a weakness for whiskey and cigars, became embroiled in an altogether different project, abusing young parishioners and altar boys.

Yesterday A was awarded general damages of £50,000, as well as £138,450 for part loss of earnings and £432,994 for future loss of earnings.

He was also awarded £5,000 for cognitive therapy and £9,240 towards the cost of future care.