CALDEY ISLAND SEX OFFENDERS LINKED TO HISTORICAL ABUSE SCANDAL
Two additional sex offenders are linked to Caldey Island, which has been the focus of investigations into historical abuse allegations.Reports indicate that six women have received compensation after suffering sexual abuse by a monk at the island's abbey.
It was also revealed that a child sex offender fled to the abbey to hide and resided there until his arrest.
The abbey confirmed that a priest, Father Thaddeus Kotik, was convicted of offences after leaving the island, but denied knowledge of him being a serial sex offender who had stayed there.
BBC Wales has reported that Father Kotik lived on the island for 45 years and abused several girls during the 1970s and 80s.
Additionally, Paul Ashton, another sex offender, fled to Caldey Island in 2004 while on the run from police due to possessing indecent images of children; he lived in the abbey until his arrest in 2011.
Another notorious predator, John Cronin, is believed to have lived on the island, staying under an alias for a month around 2009.
The police have confirmed ongoing reports of abuse on the island.
The abbey claimed to have no knowledge of Cronin’s alleged stay and emphasized that they had no criminal record or knowledge of Kotik’s criminal activities during his time on the island.
Calls for an inquiry into the abuses on Caldey Island have increased, with some demanding an investigation into the island's history and whether other offenders may have stayed there.
Despite these calls, the Welsh Government has ruled out an independent inquiry, stating that Dyfed-Powys Police is currently investigating the matter.
