ANDREW SOPER THE KOSOVO FUGITIVE PRIEST CONVICTED OF ABUSE AT LONDON SCHOOL
In December 2017, a harrowing chapter in the history of institutional abuse was brought to a close with the conviction of Andrew Soper, a Roman Catholic priest who had inflicted unimaginable harm on young boys at a prestigious school in London.Soper, aged 74 and formerly known as Father Laurence Soper, was sentenced to a lengthy 18-year prison term after a series of serious criminal charges related to his abuse were proven in court.
Andrew Soper’s criminal activities spanned over a decade, primarily targeting pupils at St Benedict’s School located in Ealing, West London.
His heinous acts included 19 counts of rape and other sexual offences committed against ten boys.
The court heard that Soper’s abuse was not only physical but also sadistic, often accompanied by brutal beatings under the guise of discipline.
The victims described being subjected to punishment for trivial reasons, such as kicking a football in the wrong direction, failing to use double margins, or using the wrong staircase, which would then be followed by physical assault and sexual abuse.
What made Soper’s case particularly disturbing was his attempt to evade justice by fleeing the country.
Following police investigations that began after allegations surfaced in 2004, Soper withdrew a substantial sum of £182,000 from a Vatican bank account and fled to Kosovo in 2011.
His disappearance was meticulously planned, with the court noting that he intended to live out his days in obscurity in Kosovo.
It was only after five years of living as a fugitive that he was deported back to the United Kingdom and arrested at Luton Airport in August 2016.
During the trial, the court heard that Soper’s victims endured not only physical pain but also profound psychological trauma.
One survivor recounted suffering a breakdown after police told him there was insufficient evidence to pursue his case in 2004 and 2007.
He described ongoing flashbacks, nightmares, and feelings of living in a black hole, emphasizing the lasting damage inflicted by Soper’s abuse.
Another victim expressed suspicion that a paedophile ring was operating within the school, implicating the Benedictine order in a broader pattern of serial abuse spanning decades.
Soper’s history within the institution was extensive.
He joined St Benedict’s as a teacher in 1972, later becoming headmaster of its middle school from 1977 until 1983.
He also served as the abbot of Ealing Abbey from 1991 until 2000, the parent organization of the school.
After his retirement, Soper moved to Rome to work at the Benedictine headquarters.
It was during this period that allegations against him gained momentum, leading to police investigations and his subsequent flight.
In court, Soper maintained his innocence, claiming that he was the victim of a miscarriage of justice.
His defense barrister, Jane Humphryes QC, argued that Soper believed he was wrongly accused and insisted that he maintained his innocence regarding all charges.
However, the court was presented with overwhelming evidence of his guilt, including testimonies from multiple victims and detailed accounts of his sadistic disciplinary methods.
The judge, Anthony Bate, delivered a stern verdict, condemning Soper’s actions and highlighting the contrast between his intellectual gifts and the vile crimes he committed.
The judge stated, “Your good qualities are utterly overshadowed by the proven catalogue of vile abuse for which you are now at last held to account.
Your disgrace is complete.” The court also acknowledged that Soper’s disappearance to Kosovo was a calculated attempt to evade justice, with the judge noting that Soper intended to live in obscurity rather than face the consequences of his actions.
In addition to his prison sentence, the case prompted a wider review of the governance and safeguarding practices at St Benedict’s and Ealing Abbey.
An independent inquiry in 2011 revealed that the monastic community had failed to address misconduct that put children at risk.
The review criticized the school’s governance for lacking independence, transparency, and accountability, and pointed out that the organization was too insular, drawn from a narrow group of individuals.
This inquiry was initiated after the conviction of another former head of the school, Father David Pearce, who was jailed for eight years in 2009 for abusing five boys over a period of 36 years, with four victims under the age of 14.
As Soper awaits sentencing, the case remains a stark reminder of the long-standing issues of abuse within religious institutions and the importance of safeguarding vulnerable children.
The victims, many of whom continue to suffer from the trauma inflicted upon them, have expressed their hope that justice has finally been served and that such abuses will never be tolerated again.
