An 80-year-old former monk has been sent to prison for sexually abusing three boys more than 30 years ago.
Peter Turner, from Redcar – previously known as Father Gregory Carroll – was sentenced to 20 years and 10 months’ imprisonment, with an extended year on licence. He will have to serve at least half of the sentence before being considered for parole. He was sentenced at York Crown Court today (Wednesday 12 February) after he pleaded guilty to multiple non-recent child sex offences yesterday.
He was due to contest the charges but he changed pleas at the start of the trial.
One of the victims was a pupil at Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire between 1984 and 1987. He was aged 10 when the sexual abuse began, which included indecent assaults, gross indecency and buggery.
The other two boys were abused in the Workington area of Cumbria between 1987 and 1990 when the defendant was serving as a parish priest. They were aged between 9 and 12 and were subjected to indecent assaults and gross indecency on a nearby beach and in Turner’s car.
North Yorkshire Police’s Non-Recent Abuse Investigation Team began a new investigation into Peter Turner in 2018 when the victim from Ampleforth College bravely came forward to make a complaint.
He was already well-known to the police, albeit as Father Gregory Carroll, after being convicted of non-recent child abuse in 2005 relating to his time as a monk at Ampleforth College and Abbey.
Following an extensive investigation led by Detective Sergeant Graeme Bevington, which included revisiting allegations that first surfaced in Cumbria in 2006 but did not lead to any prosecutions, Turner was charged with more than 20 offences in March 2019.
DS Bevington said: “Peter Turner, or Father Gregory Carroll as he was previously known when he was a monk at Ampleforth College and Abbey, is clearly a very depraved individual who targeted these vulnerable young boys for his own sexual gratification more than 30 years ago.
“The passage of time did not ease the pain and anguish suffered by his victims.
“I truly hope their bravery in coming forward to the police and the positive outcome secured at court, provides them with some comfort knowing that justice has been served against this vile man.”
DS Bevington added: “This case proves yet again that it is never too late to report non-recent sexual abuse and to achieve justice.
“The Non-Recent Abuse Investigation Team at North Yorkshire Police is equipped to support victims at every stage. They can have confidence that they will be treated with sensitivity, dignity and respect throughout.
“It is also important to stress that all victims of sexual crimes are afforded lifetime anonymity by law, so they cannot be identified by the media or on social media.
“If you have been a victim of such crime, no matter when it occurred, please do not suffer in silence. We are here to help you.”
Please contact North Yorkshire Police on 101.
