A man who was left psychologically damaged after being systematically abused by a parish priest in Britain for ten years has been awarded more than £600,000 in compensation.
Lawyers acting for the victim of Irish-born priest Father Christopher Clonan said they hoped the award - thought to be the biggest of its kind in the UK - would force the church to offer "realistic compensation" to other victims.
The 35-year-old man, who now suffers from schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder, was abused between the ages of seven and 18 by Clonan, his priest at Christ The King Church in Coventry.
The claimant, known as A, was awarded £635,684 by the High Court in Manchester after bringing a case against the Archbishop of Birmingham and the trustees of the Birmingham Archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church.
After the judgment, 'A's legal firm, Wokingham-based Clifton Ingram, said they knew of at least eight other victims. They claim the church failed to act against Clonan for years after the abuse allegations were first raised.
The award means Clonan, who fled to Australia and is now believed to be dead, has cost the Catholic church almost £1 million in compensation payments. Another victim was awarded £330,000 last year.
In his judgment, Mr Justice Christopher Clarke said of the 'A' case: "The abuse was regular - between one and three times a week - and progressive. It began with Father Clonan putting his hands in A's pockets and fondling his penis. It progressed to mutual masturbation and by the time A was 12 or 13, he was being buggered and obliged to perform oral sex.
"The abuse went undetected for so long because, initially, A did not comprehend what was going on, and latterly he was too afraid to speak, thinking that he would not be believed, as Father Clonan told him would be the case."
The church admitted legal liability "for failing to prevent these activities". Archdiocese of Birmingham spokesman Peter Jennings said the church hoped the settlement would bring an end to the "distress and anguish" the victim has suffered.
In a statement released after the decision, legal representatives for 'A' said: "We consider that the size of the judge's award reflects the magnitude of the consequences of the Archbishop's breach of his duty of care to 'A'.
We very much hope that the Church will now offer realistic compensation to all those who have been sexually abused by Catholic priests, so that victims and their families can be spared the trauma of giving evidence and communities can put such episodes behind them."
PA