Former Workington monk admits sexually abusing three boys

A former monk who worked in a Workington parish has admitted sexually abusing a student and two other boys who were all under the age of 13.

Peter Turner, 80, from Redcar, admitted charges of indecent assault, buggery and gross indecency against three boys when he appeared at York Crown Court.

Turner, who was previously known as Father Gregory Carroll, committed the offences more than 20 years ago while working at Ampleforth College and a parish in Workington in Cumbria.

He was due to go on trial but entered guilty pleas to 14 charges on Tuesday.

The court heard that the first boy was aged between 10 and 12 when Turner committed indecent assault and buggery against him between September 1984 and January 1987 while he was at Ampleforth.

Turner was sent to work in a parish in Workington in 1987 after confessing to church authorities.

His second victim was nine or 10 when he indecently assaulted him between October 1987 and December 1988. The third was aged between 10 and 12 when Turner committed gross indecency and indecent assault against him between June 1987 and June 1990 in Workington.

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

Turner was jailed for four years in September 2005 after he admitted offences against 10 pupils at Ampleforth College between 1979 and 1987. The sentence was later reduced by 12 months.

He is remanded in custody and will be sentenced on Wednesday morning.