LIAM ROBERTS, THE DISGUSTING MONK FROM BETHNAL GREEN, RICKMANSWORTH, AND ROTHWELL, GUILTY OF SEXUAL ASSAULTS

In a disturbing case that has spanned decades, Liam Roberts, a man once known as Brother Augustine, has been convicted of a series of heinous sexual offenses committed against young girls. The crimes, which date back over 40 years, primarily took place in Rickmansworth during the 1960s and 1970s, but Roberts’s criminal activities are now brought to light through a recent court verdict.

Roberts, now aged 80 and residing in Rothwell, Northamptonshire, faced a court in Luton where he was found guilty of 14 counts of indecent assault and two counts of indecency with a child. The court proceedings revealed a pattern of abuse that had remained hidden for many years, with victims coming forward only after long periods of silence.

The court heard that Roberts, who was affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church and known as Brother Augustine during his time as a lay brother, committed these acts while serving in a religious order based in Bethnal Green, East London. His association with the Augustinian Order of the Assumption began in 1959, and his connections extended to Our Lady Help of Christians Church in Rickmansworth, where some of the assaults took place.

Prosecutor Richard Milne detailed how Roberts targeted young girls during religious instruction sessions, exploiting their trust and innocence. One victim from Rickmansworth recounted her encounter with Roberts in the 1970s when she was only eight years old. She described how he played a disturbing game involving hiding a pencil rubber in her clothing and then searching for it, a game that took place in a lay-by along a country lane as they traveled to visit a convent.

The court heard testimonies from four victims, all of whom had kept their experiences secret for years. One woman, now 40, came forward after watching a television program about the Catholic Church, while another, aged 48, revealed that the abuse began when she was just nine years old. She described how she had given Roberts the nickname “Disgusting Augustine” due to the nature of his actions.

She recounted the trauma she endured, stating, “Why I didn’t tell anyone was because I was too scared. It was so well indoctrinated in us that I never said anything. ‘Disgusting Augustine’ — that was my name for him. He was a horrible, horrible man who made me perform disgusting acts on him and took away my childhood.”

The court proceedings detailed the abuse, which involved kissing, fondling, and forcing the girls to perform sexual acts. Roberts’s actions have left a lasting impact on his victims, many of whom suffered in silence for years.

Judge Jeffrey Burke adjourned sentencing until April 3 to allow for the preparation of medical and sex offender reports. Roberts was subsequently sentenced to three years in prison, a measure that aims to serve justice for the long-standing suffering of his victims.