This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/london/7959008.stm
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| College sued over sex abuse claim | College sued over sex abuse claim |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A former City lawyer has launched a £5m damages claim against a Jesuit-run school over sexual abuse he allegedly suffered there during the 1970s. | |
| Patrick Raggett, 50, suffered a breakdown after losing his job in 1997 over his aggressive behaviour and drinking, the High Court heard. | |
| The case against Preston Catholic College will be heard over five days. | |
| The priest at the centre of the allegations died in 2001, preventing proceedings being launched against him. | The priest at the centre of the allegations died in 2001, preventing proceedings being launched against him. |
| 'Insidious abuse' | |
| Father Michael Spencer taught French and religious education at the school and subjected Mr Raggett to years of "insidious" abuse, said his counsel Robert Seabrook QC. | |
| My employment record is so far away from what it should have been - that causes me a huge amount of anguish Patrick Raggett | |
| Mr Raggett, who has waived anonymity, said he knew he was making a mess of his life but did not connect his experiences at school with years of under-achievement at work, failed marriage and binge drinking, until he had a breakdown in April 2005. | |
| "My employment record is so far away from what it should have been - that causes me a huge amount of anguish," he said. | |
| "To know what one could have been and not be anything remotely approaching that is very painful," he said. | |
| Mr Raggett was known to his schoolmates as "Spencer's pet". | |
| 'Cherubic boy' | |
| Father Spencer took an instant liking to the "cherubic rather pretty little boy" who was captain of the under-11 team, said counsel. | |
| Mr Raggett was one of three boys whom the priest examine while they were naked. | |
| "Lest it be inferred he was a kindly educationalist in holy orders, the truth was quite the contrary," said Robert Seabrook QC. | |
| "Under the cloak of priestly godliness and respectability, he was an intrusive and brazenly abusive man who was widely recognised as being a very unsatisfactory person for having responsibility for teaching children." | |
| This is thought to be the first case of its kind against the Jesuit order in the UK. Many abuse claims have been brought against the order in the US. | This is thought to be the first case of its kind against the Jesuit order in the UK. Many abuse claims have been brought against the order in the US. |
| Psychiatric experts are expected to testify that the lawyer's drinking and behavioural problems stem from the years of sex abuse he suffered. | Psychiatric experts are expected to testify that the lawyer's drinking and behavioural problems stem from the years of sex abuse he suffered. |