“There can be no place in the priesthood for those who harm the young.”

Wirral Catholic priest Father Peter Hooper with “unhealthy interest in adolescent boys” jailed for five years

See below and http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2012/06/15/wirral-catholic-priest-father-peter-hooper-with-an-unhealthy-interest-in-adolescent-boys-jailed-for-five-years-100252-31193037/#ixzz1xu8cb6TN for details.

Meanwhile, it is interesting to note that the Rt. Rev. Mark Davies, Bishop of Shrewsbury, who said today (15 June 2012) that “There can be no place in the priesthood for those who harm the young.” was previously the vicar general in the Diocese of Salford where Father Thomas Doherty was never laicised, despite being convicted in 1998 for five offences of indecency against a child and being sentenced to six years imprisonment. (Doherty went to his grave in 2010 retaining his canonical status as a priest.) It remains to be seen whether we can trust Davies’ rhetoric in this more recent case and whether Hooper will actually be laicised. Given Davies’ history in the Diocese of Salford, it will certainly be necessary to monitor what actually happens!  

A CATHOLIC priest with “an unhealthy interest in adolescent boys” was locked up for five years.

Father Peter Hooper, the parish priest at St Luke's the Physician, in Bebington, was caught performing a sex act on an underage boy in the diocesan house where he lived.

The 55-year-old  pleaded guilty to 10  counts of sexual activity with a child. At yesterday’s sentencing hearing he was  supported at Liverpool Crown Court by more than a dozen parishioners  and two priests.

Robert Jansen, prosecuting, told the court a social gathering at the diocesan house, in Church Road, Bebington, was winding down when Hooper was caught out.

He said: "There was a gentleman called Matthew Howard, who at the time was living at this defendant's address, and had been for some years.

"As the social gathering was coming to an end...Mr Howard had cause to walk past the kitchen window and look inside.”

The lawyer said Mr Howard saw the boy and the priest perform a sex act on  each other.

Mr Jansen said Hooper was arrested and admitted carrying out sex acts on the boy though he said they did not have full sex – this was accepted.

The boy, who cannot be named, was interviewed and said he met Hooper through a band he was in  made up entirely of priests.

The pair grew close after he told Hooper, a trained counsellor, about  problems he was facing  in his life.

He said at one stage he went to hug the priest who then kissed him on the cheek and then moved to kiss him on the mouth.

The sexual contact followed in the boy's family home and then later at the diocese house.

 Judge David Aubrey QC said: "You have betrayed your religion, you have betrayed your church, you have betrayed your parishioners.

"More significantly you have betrayed your victim who was just 14 and 15 years of age and vulnerable and in truth he was in your care while in your home and you were in his.

"You have also betrayed his mother. They are both devout Roman Catholics who are now in consequence of that which you have done challenging the church.

"In my judgement you have an unhealthy interest in adolescent boys as this case has demonstrated.

"You have failed in your responsibilities and duties as a Catholic priest. You have abused and failed everybody who has placed their trust in you.

"You knew when you crossed the boundary. You wished to cross the boundary. Your actions were a gross breach of trust.

"You have fallen from grace and lost your ministry. The offences are so serious that only an immediate custodial sentence is justified for them."

He jailed Hooper for five years – of which he must serve half less 37 days spent on remand.

Judge Aubrey ordered him to sign on the sex offenders register, made a sexual offences prevention order and banned him from working with children.

Bespectacled Hooper, wearing a red polo shirt and grey jumper, signalled to supporters as he was taken to jail.

After the sentencing The Rt Rev. Mark Davies, Bishop of Shrewsbury, said: “I wish to express today both the sorrow and the horror felt within the Catholic community at these offences and the betrayal of trust involved.

“There can be no place in the priesthood for those who harm the young.”

Hooper was appointed priest at St Luke’s in 2006 after leaving St Werburgh’s, in Chester.