17 years for priest who repeatedly abused teenage boy

A Catholic priest from Newcastle has been jailed for 17 years for repeatedly sexually abusing a teenage boy.

Father Michael Higginbottom, of West Farm Road, Newcastle, had denied four counts of buggery and four counts of indecent assault but was found guilty after a trial.

The abuse took place when Higginbottom, 74, worked as a teacher in the 1970s. He worked at St Joseph's College, a boarding school in Upholland, Lancashire.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that his victim attended the seminary, for boys who wanted to become priests, for six months when he was aged between 13 and 14.

In a victim statement read to the court, he said:

The victim, now in his 50s, said he used to pray that he would die to escape the abuse.

He said:

The first incident happened about a week after the victim arrived at theschool.

He said he was invited into Higginbottom's living quarters and the priestlocked the door and ordered him to undress before sexually assaulting him.

The court heard the victim also made allegations against two other priests at the school, but both had since died.

Adam Birkby, defending, said that since the offences, Higginbottom had led a "positive" life as a parish priest.

Sentencing, Judge Andrew Menary QC said:

The court heard that during his time as a physics teacher at the school, which has since closed, he would give electric shocks to pupils as a punishment.

Judge Menary said:

The trial jury was told that allegations had been made against Higginbottom by another former pupil in 2007 and the Catholic Church had settled the claim out of court for £35,000.

Police had investigated the claims and, although Higginbottom was charged, no evidence against him was offered in court and no guilty verdicts were entered.

Higginbottom was told he would be subject to the notification requirement ofthe Sexual Offences Act for the rest of his life.