header-logo header-logo

Book review: Betrayed: The English Catholic Church and the Sex Abuse Crisis

06 June 2014
Issue: 7609 / Categories: Features
printer mail-detail

"His book is exhaustively researched, beautifully written, passionate yet objective & a major contribution to the literature on this heart-breaking subject"

Author: Richard Scorer
Publisher: Biteback Publishing
ISBN: 9781849546829
Price: £20

In 1956 Christopher Carrie, then 11 years old, was called to see Father John Tolkien, a Roman Catholic priest and son of the famous author, at the English Martyrs Presbytery in Birmingham. Tolkien gave Carrie a long talk about the “facts of life”, and then said that he needed to examine him. He ordered Carrie to strip naked, and then gave him a “special blessing”, which involved pouring holy water on Carrie’s penis and massaging it. Carrie was ordered to return the next week. The ceremony then involved rubbing Carrie’s penis between Tolkien’s praying hands. Don’t tell anyone about this, Carrie was told. If you do, Jesus will be offended, and you might lose your soul. Carrie was terrified.

The abuse wrecked Carrie’s life. He was full of self-disgust, suffered a mental breakdown, and his marriage fell apart. In

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

NLJ Career Profile: Anne-Marie Ottaway, HFW

NLJ Career Profile: Anne-Marie Ottaway, HFW

Anne-Marie Ottaway, partner at HFW, discusses her varied career, including 13 years at the Serious Fraud Office, and making the leap to private practice

Carey Olsen—Arindam Madhuryya

Carey Olsen—Arindam Madhuryya

Corporate and investment funds lawyer promoted to partner in Jersey

Jackson Lees—Jennifer Carr

Jackson Lees—Jennifer Carr

Private family team announces appointment of senior associate

NEWS
The government’s landmark Employment Rights Act 2025 met its pre-Christmas deadline, ushering in sweeping changes to the law
Barristers and advocates in Scotland, England and Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland have urged the government to drop its proposals for judge-only ‘swift courts’ in cases where the sentence is three years or less
The practice guidance on non-molestation orders has been updated and replaced, and guidance issued on protective injunctions
Criminal silk Kirsty Brimelow KC, of Doughty Street Chambers, has taken over the reins at the Bar Council, succeeding family silk Barbara Mills KC
Lawyers have welcomed the government’s long-awaited announcement of legislation to reverse PACCAR but warned plans for light-touch regulation could cause delays
back-to-top-scroll