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Priests in MSSP abuse claim breach of their right to fair hearing
Priests accused of sexually abusing youths file constitutional case claiming a breach of their right to fair hearing due to publicity on their case.
6 January 2011, 12:00am
Karl Stagno-Navarra
Karl Stagno-Navarra
3 min read
Four priests who stand charged of sexually abusing a number of youths entrusted in their care during the 1980s, have filed a Constitutional case alleging they were denied a fair trial due to the publicity given to their pending case.
The priests – Fr Joseph Bonnett, Fr Godwin Scerri, Fr Charles Pulis and Fr Conrad Sciberras – all belonging to the Missionary Society of St Paul (MSSP), stand charged before a criminal court with sexually abusing a number of victims at St Joseph’s Home, Sta Venera.
All four were arraigned in 2003, however the case is still pending before the courts and the case is being heard behind close doors.
In the writ signed by lawyer Giannella Caruana Curran against the Attorney General, the Commissioner of Police and the Court Registrar, the priests claim they are facing a public trial through the media, due to the over-exposure of the case.
The constitutional case can be expected to delay further the hearing of the priests, which controversially is being heard in camera, contrary to usual prosecution of people accused of corruption of minors and sexual abuse.
According to the priests, their case was further prejudiced when the alleged victims announced that the Maltese church had declared their allegations were founded and that they would be sent to the Vatican for adjudication. Philip Cauchi, 40, Joseph Magro, 38, Lawrence Grech, 38, Olivier Goodram, 39 and Joseph Mangion, 37, described the letter confirming their allegations from the Missionary Society of St Paul as one step forward for their liberation.
The alleged abuse took place between the early 1980s and 1990s when the victims were aged between 13 and 16. One of the alleged victims, Lawrence Grech, now aged 31 had appeared on Bondiplus with a story of alleged sexual abuse perpetrated by at least two of the priests.
Grech graphically described how at the age of 12 one of the priests started taking liberties with him. The contact at first involved touching and friendly bites on the face. Later on, Grech alleged, one of the priests also tried to masturbate him.
Last April Pope Benedict XVI accepted to meet a number of men who were sexually abused by members of the clergy, and was reported to have cried with the victims. The event received worldwide media coverage.
Reacting to the news, abuse victim Lawrence Grech (pictured) said he felt outraged that both he and the other abused victims from the St. Joseph Home are still waiting for justice to be done, eight years on. "I revealed the abuse cases to the media after the Curia had initially ignored me, and so did the police. It was only after the revelations hit the headlines that things started moving," Lawrence Grech said.
"It is odd how in this country, you get it for not talking, and again when you talk... what I and my friends insist on is that justice is made."
Grech claimed that this recent development is "nothing but another attempt to stall the case before the courts."
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I must concur fully with Victor Micallef and SnapJudy and emphasize the need for the local Church to act responsibly, chastize the offenders and give support to their victims. Unless the Church carries out this duty and is seen to be doing it, it too will become a victim of the criminals who tainted its reputation.
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If I am not mistaken the now exiled Fr Mark Montebello was chastised by his superiors for saying on Xarabank something to the effect that priests know the loopholes - Ahna l-qassisin nafu minn fejn ghandna nghaddu.
I find that few statements can beat the power of these words from Lady Macbeth when it comes to abusing the trust of the innocent. Speaking about a sucking baby she claims the guts to
'Have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums,/And dash'd the brains out'
Alfred Galea •
TH and VM......I agree with you, they should be punished severely, AFTER being found guilty in a fair trial.
Until that happens I'll just give them the benefit of a doubt....of course you guys can do what your hearts desire.
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Joe, it took them so long to spill the beans (not something else!) on account of the see-no-evil-say-no-evil culture prevailing in Malta and elsewhere until of late. These sick "priests" were aware of this culture where they were sure they could easily hide their sick ploys. Now all that is over and they must pay for their heinous crimes. And, serves them (and their ilk) right.
Michael Gauci •
@Joe South
Please stop trying to defend the indefensible. These kinds of people must be castrated then publicly hanged from the Valletta bastions as a warning to others.
Alfred Galea •
Vic, I'll ask you and SNAPJudy one question....ever wonder WHY all these guys waited so long AND WHY, when they decided to talk, they didn't go to the cops first rather than the church??
As for you question, how about incest, sodomising little boys, murder, selling drugs to minors AND THE MOST HEINOUS....KILLING UNBORN CHILDREN??
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Joe, I don't think "the most henous of crimes" is over the top. Even on reflection I cannot think of an uglier offence. Can you mention one?
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Who is paying for the legal fees, I ask? The Holy Roman Catholic Church or the Gonzi government? I saw this coming a long time ago. The whole structure surrounding the way complaints are dealt with by the Church is designed to keep these matters away from the civil courts. Ban the existence of review teams and imprison those who serve on them. It is time for the people of Malta to rise against this corrupt Church that peddles in child abusers who claim to be God's ministers. Malta needs more than a smiling archbishop. It wants someone with balls!
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What i like to say about these priests is unprintable. Just one thing bring back the death penalty.
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For the safety of children, child predators need to be in jail and far away from kids.
The victims of the 4 priests have waited way too long to have their day in court. It is amazing how callous church officials are able to use every legal technicality they can conjure up, in order to keep the truth from being exposed and therefore keeping themselves out of jail.
Catholics in Malta need to start listening to their children and to the victims. It is extremely rare that a child predator only abuses just one. Most have many victims, and they continue to abuse as long as they are able to get away with it.
For more information about the Catholic church and the sex abuse issue in the USA, this web site.. http://www.bishopaccountability.org/
you will find a list of over 3,000 credibly accused priests, brothers, nuns,and bishops who have sexually abused children.
..and this list only contains those who have been made public.
Judy Jones, SNAP USA, [email protected]
"Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests"
http://www.snapnetwork.org/
Alfred Galea •
[The four persons being charged with this most heinous of crimes ought to be ashamed of themselves]
"The most heinous crimes"?? A little bit over the top don't you think Victor??
They are entitled to get the same treatment by the courts as others charged with far worse crimes than them....and remember they have not been found guilty of anything yet.
If they're found guilty then they should be punished to the full extent of the law. Remember how long it took the victims to come forward too.
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Sunny Day, what is most alarming in this case is that because the alleged culprits are priests justice drags its feet whereas because one Carmel Vella is a layman he is jailed without further ado. Don't get me wrong, I think Vella too should be instantly locked up. But so do the others who happen to be "priests" - please note the inverted commas. Indeed I cannot think of them as priests. They are simply sick people who maybe joined the priesthood in the foreknowledge that that kind of "job" would allow them to mix and mingle with young children whom they would eventually abuse. Even if this type of people is made up of sickos, they should be locked up without further delay. Unless, and it is a BIG BIG unless, they proven innocent which is not what everybody is thinking.
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Let's not rush to conclusions dear friends!
What's sad about this specific article is the shameful super-slow process of trial!!!
Michael Gauci •
They should already be in Corradino on remand. They should have been arrested a long time ago.What exactly are these people doing at the moment? These people face serious crimes and should be in Custody. Arrest them now!
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Joe, I was about to respond to your comment but Xprun spurred the arguments one would expect in such situations. Xprun may be a bit too harsh in his words but, I assure you, that is the feeling among most Maltese, Catholic, agnostic, atheist or whatever. The four persons being charged with this most heinous of crimes ought to be ashamed of themselves and, at least, keep away from the public eye. They have brought untold shame on themselves, on their families and on the religious order they joined for who knows what purpose. On the other hand, as you say, we should await the court of law's verdict. Even if it is taking too long for the patience and endurance of all concerned, not least the victims and THEIR relatives.
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Possibbli ghandom il-wicc dawn it-tlett individwi li jahsbu, li l-poplu Malti u anke dinji inkluzi l-mezzi kollha tax-xandir ma jaghtux pubblicita' u ma jitkellmux dwar il-hnizrijiet li allegatament saru minnhom bhala membri tal-kleru meta kienu affdati bit-tfal? Imisshom jidhlu f'qoxrithom u jistahbew sakemm jghaddi l-process kollu. U meta jghaddi, jekk jinstabu hatja kif akkuzati, jaghtu lilhom infushom f'idejn il-poplu biex ihaggruhom fix-xaghra tal-Furjana.
Alfred Galea •
Victor, atone for their sins IF they sinned.....end up at Corradino IF they're found guilty.
Up to now all that came out are allegations, no solid proof, no corraborated evidence.....why don't we just wait for the case/cases to be settled and then say what we feel like saying??
Surely as Maltese catholics we can do that, right?
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These priests should be made to atone for theirs sins. The Church should be straight about it. They dishonour the priesthood and the Christian, indeed, Catholic religion. One can only hope they are not beaten to death when they finally end up in the appropriate cells at Corradino. They do not deserve any better, but justice must be served and they should not be allowed anywhere near criminals serving their sentence. Yet they have the gall to chastize society for charging them on such heinous crimes! There is only one instance where Jesus slammed the abuse of sexuality and that's where he said that he who obstructs the normal development of one of His little ones would do better to tie a millstone round his neck and plunge into the sea. These four abject creatures should in the meantime shut up in their face and ask for God's forgiveness IF there is such forgiveness for their despicable crimes. What? Do they want to silence society too when it is the duty of civil society to defend and protect the normal development of young citizens? They should do some soul-searching and discover whether they joined the priesthood (one of them had 8 siblings in another religious order) precisely to be able to indulge in their abominable vice, with malice aforethought. These comments are not meant to disparage the lawyer who is looking after their civil rights. She is only exercising her profession. But them ... they do not deserve any commiseration. They ought to be kicked out of civil society and disappear. After that they should burn in hell, in the deepest, blackest corner of hell.
