Judge to assess damages to be paid by priest

A court hearing was today being held to assess what damages should be paid to a woman who accused her Roman Catholic priest of assault and battery during an affair with him.

A judge at Birmingham County Court last month ruled that Father Terence Fitzpatrick should pay Pamela Brown damages in connection with their affair.

Today’s civil hearing at the same court was expected to award damages to Mrs Brown, who has accused Fr Fitzpatrick of assault and battery.

Mrs Brown alleged that the 65-year-old priest, now a Benedictine monk in Berkshire, abused her during their affair, which ended in 1993.

The 45-year-old, who lived in the Coventry area, turned to Fr Fitzpatrick for spiritual help while he was parish priest at the city’s St Osburg’s Roman Catholic Church.

The clergyman claimed their relationship developed into a sexual one but he ended it after he realised it was wrong, insisting it was consensual at all times.

He stated that sexual intercourse never took place.

Peter Jennings, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Birmingham, said the priest had signed an undertaking not to discuss the case.

‘‘He is extremely sorry that he has let the Catholic Church, the Benedictine order and himself down and he wants the very, very best for Mrs Pamela Brown,’’ said Mr Jennings.