MICHAEL JAMES CALLAGHAN, FORMER AMPLEFORTH COLLEGE MONK, SENTENCED IN YORKSHIRE FOR CHILD ABUSE

On 19 June 2025, a former monk of Ampleforth College, Michael James Callaghan, aged 71 from Moortown, Leeds, was sentenced to seven years in prison for child sexual abuse. Known as Father James, he was convicted of sexually abusing two boys at the North Yorkshire school between 1994 and 2013.

Callaghan faced 12 counts of indecent assault against the first victim, four of which occurred while the boy was under 16, as well as one count of sexual assault on the second victim. Despite denying all allegations, he was found guilty after a trial at Teesside Crown Court. In addition to his prison term, he will be subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order, which prohibits any contact with the victims and any unsupervised contact with persons under 16.

The abuse incidents took place at Ampleforth College over nearly two decades. The first victim was targeted between 1994 and 1997, with Callaghan later assaulting the second victim in 2013. The initial reports were made in December 2022, prompting an investigation by the North Yorkshire Police Non-Recent Abuse Investigation Team.

Following his arrest and interviews, Callaghan maintained his innocence but was formally charged. Victim impact statements revealed the profound effect of his actions. The first victim described the long-lasting trauma, stating: “This man knows what he has done, he knows exactly how this will have affected me. He knew what he was doing was wrong – why else would it have had to be a secret? Yet, when given the opportunity to acknowledge this himself, he chose to continue the abuse by denying it. He chose to leave me, when I was already devastated myself, having to fight for the 14-year-old boy he hand-picked for his own gratification.”

The second victim expressed feelings of betrayal, saying: “I looked up to him; I trusted him. And what was the response? He chose to violate my boundaries; first to groom me over a period of time, and then to sexually assault me.” He shared ongoing struggles with nightmares, panic attacks, startled reactions, and sleepless nights. “He chose to prey on me, in full knowledge of how very vulnerable I was. It all leads me to ask: How come? Why? And how obsessed was he with me in particular, or was I one of a larger number of victims?” he questioned.

Detective Constable Alison Morris from the Non-Recent Abuse Investigation Team commented: “Not only did Callaghan abuse his position of trust in the most appalling way, taking advantage of vulnerable boys he should have been caring for and protecting, he denied his offences throughout and showed no remorse for the pain and suffering he caused.

“I want to pay tribute to the incredible bravery of the victims, whose courage and support throughout the investigation were vital in ensuring Callaghan was brought to justice. I hope today’s outcome brings them some sense of closure.

“I also want to take this opportunity to reassure any other victims of sexual abuse that the passage of time is no barrier to justice. We are absolutely committed to investigating these offences, no matter when they took place, and specially trained officers are ready to listen, support you, and take action.”

Earlier, on 19 May 2025, it was reported that Callaghan, who admitted having crushes on adolescent boys, was found guilty of sexually abusing two pupils at the institution. The prosecution detailed that Callaghan repeatedly indecently assaulted a teenage boy over three years during the 1990s. The victim described feeling ‘really special’ due to gifts, trips, and secret meetings, including incidents involving ‘lots of hugs, lots of touching,’ and coercive role-play scenarios involving kissing and simulating sex, with Callaghan acting as a boy the victim admired. The victim told police he felt ‘guilt tripped’ into these encounters and had been ‘in survival mode’ for over 20 years.

Callaghan admitted to engaging in some sexual activity with the first complainant after they turned 16, with his consent, but the prosecution argued that this did not constitute true consent as the victim lacked a real choice. He faces 12 counts of indecent assault, including four related to alleged abuse while the victims were under 16, involving scenarios like pretending to have a heart attack during role-play. Additionally, Callaghan is accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old in 2013 by grabbing his bottom after a hug. Callaghan denies all charges, and legal proceedings are ongoing.