Catholic Church trying to avoid paying compensation to abuse victims in Yorkshire

The Catholic Church has yet again used a legal manoeuvre to try to delay payment of compensation to victims of a sex abuse at a Catholic-run children’s home in Market Weighton, near York.

The potential £8 million compensation award — the largest ever in England — came after a judge ruled that Middlesbrough Diocese was responsible for running St William’s Community Home and were therefore liable to pay compensation. In an attempt to avoid paying, the diocese had argued that the order of monks who staffed the home, the De La Salle Brothers, should be responsible for it. Although the De La Salle Brothers were in senior positions, Judge Hawkesworth found that they were not employed by the lay order and it was the diocese that had the power to appoint staff.

There are 142 alleged victims of sexual and physical abuse who were, at the time of the alleged crimes, aged between 10 and 16. About 70 per cent of the claims involve sexual abuse, some alleging rape.

One victim, Graham Baverstock, has called for other victims to come forward after suffering at the hands the monks. He was 14 when he spent more than a year in the home, where he maintains he was systematically abused. The 51-year-old, who now lives in Bridlington, said he has attempted suicide, self-harmed and has never been able to form intimate relationships as a result of what happened to him in 1973 and 1974.

The former principal, Brother James Carragher, was jailed in 2004 for 14 years after admitting abusing 22 boys in his care over a 20 year period. A huge civil case was later started by Jordan's solicitors in Leeds after the trial of three other men collapsed when a key witness was found hanged in prison.

The appeal was lodged the same week as the findings of an Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) came to light. The report into Operation Aldgate – a police investigation into alleged assault at the home said that Humberside Police had "major" and "institutional" failings.

The appeal was lodged on Friday but a date for a hearing has not been set.