A disgraced Leeds priest, who is already serving a jail sentence has been put on trial again after more alleged victims have come forwards.
Father Patrick Smythe was jailed in 2022 for crimes against boys in the 1970s and 1980s. He had previously worked as a chaplain under Diocese of Leeds when he abused the children on camping and swimming trips.
In 2022, the Catholic priest was locked up after being found guilty of sexually abusing six boys in his care.
However, since then, four more victims have come forward after reading about the previous trial. This week, he in on trial for 11 new counts of indecent assault on the youngsters.
Opening the case for the Crown, Camille Morland said Smythe, now 81-years-old, had worked under the Diocese of Leeds and was in frequent contact with young boys across West Yorkshire.
Following the 2022 conviction, Ms. Morland said:
“Four individuals came to know about the court case.
“Some had absolutely no idea what was going on. They say for personal reasons that the time had come to speak up and speak their truth.
“The 2022 convictions show he has a tendency to commit offences against teenage boys.”
She said the first victim, who was 12 or 13 at the time, was abused by Smythe on trips away, that he masturbated the boy and forced the youngster to masturbate him. He claims Smythe also rubbed his penis up against the boy when they were swimming in a river.
Another man claims Smythe touched his penis while they were in the swimming bath.
The third said he was on a camping trip when he woke to find Smythe touching the boy’s penis. He confronted him and Smythe apologised, but Ms Morland said the priest gave the impression that the boy was the only victim.
Finally, the fourth alleged victim said he was about nine-years-old when Smythe cornered him, put one hand over his mouth and the other into the boys underwear.
Smythe then callously “told him to clean himself up”. The boy ran out and cried, the court heard.
Ms. Morland said:
“He [Smythe] says none of these things are true and says all four people have been influenced in some way with the 2022 case.”
Smythe, formerly of Manor Square, Otley, was jailed in 2022 for seven-and-a-half years. He was found guilty of six counts of indecent assault and one of attempted indecent assault. There were six victims.
The trial continues.
Historic Sexual Abuse – Can I Make a Claim?
If you’ve experienced historical sexual abuse, AbuseClaims.co.uk can assist you in claiming compensation for the physical and emotional pain you’ve endured.
Whether the abuse was by someone you know or within an organisation like a school, sports team or religious setting, our team of specialised legal experts will be able to help you seek the justice you deserve.
What is Historic Abuse?
Historical abuse refers to instances where an adult experienced sexual abuse as a child or young person under the age of 18. This can involve a single incident or multiple occurrences of abuse, carried out by a stranger, a relative, or someone familiar.
Sexual or physical abuse is considered a crime regardless of the victim’s age. According to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), child sexual abuse involves coercing or encouraging a child to participate in sexual acts. It remains abuse even if the child does not initially understand that something is wrong.
At AbuseClaims.co.uk, our team of experienced legal professionals are here to help you navigate the best path for pursuing your claim. With a deep understanding of handling sensitive cases, we are dedicated to offering the support needed for a successful outcome.
We operate on a No-Win, No-Fee basis, so you won’t incur any costs unless your claim is successful. A dedicated advisor will oversee your claim from start to finish, keeping you updated regularly and ensuring that the process remains as smooth and stress-free as possible.
How to make a claim?
This area of the law is highly specialised, and it is important to have a solicitor who has experience pursuing claims for compensation for historic sexual and physical abuse and assault.
Whilst these claims are personal injury claims, there are many aspects that differ from general personal injury claims. At AbuseClaims.co.uk, our team of legal experts are trained in dealing with these types of cases and will be able to offer seasoned advice for a successful outcome.
You can contact us for a free no-obligation chat. We will advise you whether you are eligible to make a claim and the likely level of damages.
If you decide to pursue the claim, we will do all the work for you, keeping you informed at every stage.
How long will my case take to run?
Generally a civil claim for abuse or assaults can be concluded within 6-12 months. We will provide you with regular updates as your claim progresses.
Once we have been able to assess your case, we will give you an idea at the outset of the likely timescale.
It will very much depend on what evidence we need to gather, who we are bringing the claim against and also whether the claim can be settled without court proceedings.
Should I make a claim?
Before deciding whether to pursue a claim, it’s crucial to seek initial legal advice to evaluate the merits of your case. At AbuseClaims.co.uk, we offer a free assessment and are happy to discuss your situation at no cost.
If a solicitor determines that your claim has merit, it’s also important to consider the potential impact on your health. Litigation can be a stressful process that may negatively affect your well-being.
While we cannot provide medical advice, we must inform you that pursuing a claim may bring up traumatic memories of the abuse, which could impact your mental health.
Please keep in mind that the primary outcome of a successful claim is financial compensation. While you may hope for answers through litigation, most cases settle out of court, which could leave some of your questions unresolved.
Your doctors may advise that revisiting the trauma could hinder your recovery.
The decision to proceed should be made in consultation with your medical advisors and is entirely up to you.
If you choose to move forward with a claim, our team will do everything possible to support you and minimise the stress throughout the process.
Would I have to go to court?
If the case does not settle, then ultimately the matter would proceed to Court where a Judge would make a determination. Most cases, however, do settle out of Court, so although this is an unlikely eventuality, we cannot rule it out as an impossibility.
If you do have any concerns about this during the process of your claim, then we would be happy to discuss this with you and address any concerns you may have.
Why should I use abuseclaims.co.uk?
Abuseclaims.co.uk is committed to handling your abuse claim on a ‘no-win, no-fee’ basis. If your claim is unsuccessful, you won’t owe us anything.
If your claim is successful, we will take a percentage of the compensation, meaning we only receive payment when we have achieved a positive outcome for you.
You will have a dedicated advisor who will manage your claim from start to finish, assisting with any questions or concerns along the way. If you prefer, we can assign a female advisor to handle your case.
Your case handler will also provide regular updates throughout the process, ensuring that your experience is as stress-free and smooth as possible.
Further reading
Historic abuse – abuseclaims.co.uk
Historic abuse claims – Oakwood Solicitors
WHAT TO DO NEXT
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