More claims on way, church told

Manchester, England, United Kingdom --

The Catholic Church in Britain has been warned it is likely to face further claims for compensation for the prolonged sexual abuse of children by a priest.

The warning came after the English High Court awarded a priest's victim a record ££635,000 ($A1.49 million) damages.

The figure, awarded to a man, 35, who was abused over 10 years by Christopher Clonan, is the largest settlement the church has conceded in Britain and is the first claim decided at a court hearing.

The man, known as A, was abused between the ages of seven and 18, from 1977 to 1988, while Clonan was an assistant parish priest at the Christ the King Church in Coventry.

The court was told the victim was now schizophrenic, suffered post-traumatic stress disorder and had lived for the past five years in a mental health home.

Justice Clarke, hearing the case in Manchester, said: "A told no one of the abuse until 1992. Thereafter his life fell apart. He has never been the same again and has never regained the same enthusiasm for life that he once had.

Read the article at theage.com.au Dated July 2, 2005

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