PETER CARR FROM BATTERSEA AND FOREST OF DEAN JAILED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF CHILDREN

In a case that has sparked widespread outrage and condemnation, Father Peter Carr, a priest with connections to Battersea and the Forest of Dean, was sentenced to a mere 12 months in prison for the sexual abuse of at least seven young girls. The court's decision has been met with harsh criticism, with many arguing that the punishment is grossly insufficient given the severity of his crimes.

Father Carr, aged 73, was found guilty by Gloucester Crown Court of indecently assaulting six girls over a period spanning from 1969 to 1976. The court also heard that he pleaded guilty last week to an additional charge involving a seventh victim. Since the trial, three more victims have come forward, revealing the extent of Carr’s misconduct.

The allegations against Carr emerged after two women, one a lawyer and the other a singer, reconnected through the Friends Reunited website. During their conversations, they shared painful memories of their experiences with Carr, recalling how he would make them strip naked under the pretense of applying stage makeup for school pantomimes. These performances, which took place at a Catholic boys' school in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, involved productions of 'Sinbad the Sailor' and 'Tom Thumb.' Carr would then proceed to paint on their bodies or wash off the makeup, actions that the victims now describe as sexual abuse.

One of the victims, a singer, described how Carr had “become a monster in her mind,” and admitted that she had struggled to speak about her trauma until she reconnected with another victim online. She expressed a complex mix of feelings, stating, “In my 20s I would have wanted revenge but I simply didn’t want him dying and people saying what a wonderful priest he was. I don’t think he believes he’s done anything wrong. He has no inkling of how he’s affected our lives. I feel quite sorry for him.”

Judge Martin Picton addressed Carr directly during sentencing, emphasizing the gravity of his actions. “What you did to your victims all those years ago was wrong,” the judge stated. “You abused and humiliated those children out of sexual motivation. They have had to live with a sense of being humiliated and degraded.”

Criticism of the court’s leniency has been swift and vocal. Michele Eliott, representing the children’s charity Kidscape, condemned the sentence as “too soft,” asserting that it fails to serve as a deterrent. She remarked, “It is no deterrent. The message is that it is not very serious to interfere with children. He is a dirty old man and to use his position as a religious leader was dreadful.”

During the trial, it was revealed that Carr had been involved in organizing Christmas shows at a Catholic boys' school in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, where he was accused of abusing young girls who participated in these performances. Carr claimed he “only wanted to put on a good show,” but his victims have never forgotten the trauma inflicted upon them.

Representing Carr, defense lawyer Noel Lucas stated that his client, who now resides in Battersea, London, had been “humiliated and shamed,” and that his life was “in ruins.” Carr is also facing a church inquiry, as the Salesian Order—an organization founded by Don Bosco in the 19th century to assist impoverished boys—has expressed their sorrow over the case. Father Michael Winstanley of the order issued a statement saying, “We are saddened by this case and we apologise to the victims.”

It was also confirmed that Carr would not face a new trial for other alleged cases, as Crown prosecutors determined that pursuing additional charges was not in the public interest. The case has left a lasting impact on the community and highlights the ongoing issues of abuse within religious institutions.