Peter Turner: Former Ampleforth College monk jailed for child abuse

A former monk at a Catholic boarding school who sexually abused three boys aged under 13 has been jailed for more than 20 years.

Peter Turner, 80, of Redcar, admitted 14 charges including indecent assault, gross indecency and another serious sexual offence.

The offences took place at Ampleforth College, North Yorkshire, and a parish in Cumbria between 1984 and 1990.

North Yorkshire Police said Turner was “clearly a very depraved individual”.

Sentencing him at York Crown Court, Judge Sean Morris said: “You have brought evil into this world when, by your calling, you should have brought hope, help and succour.”

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Turner, formerly known as Father Gregory Carroll, targeted the first boy at Ampleforth.

Then after he confessed to the church authorities about sexual contact with a boy he was sent to a parish in Workington.

He went on to indecently assault a boy in the Cumbrian town and committed indecent assault and gross indecency against a third victim.

The court heard victim impact statements in which the men spoke about the impact Turner’s abuse had had on their lives.

‘Sickening breach of trust’

He was recalled and confined to the monastery at Ampleforth after the Nolan Report on the problem of clerical child abuse was published in 2001.

Turner was previously jailed for four years in 2005 after admitting offences against 10 pupils at the school between 1979 and 1987. The sentence was later reduced by 12 months.

On Tuesday he pleaded guilty to 11 counts of indecent assault, two counts of a serious sexual assault and one count of gross indecency with a child.

Pauline McCullagh, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Turner committed a truly sickening breach of trust, sexually abusing young boys who innocently placed their trust in him as a monk and priest.”

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