ALLEGATIONS of child abuse in the Roman Catholic Church increased by 50 per cent in England and Wales last year.

But of 153 reported incidents of abuse, 116 took place in the 60 years before 2004 and involved abusers who have since died.

The increase in allegations of abuse from 62 in 2003 to 100 last year was disclosed in the third annual report from the Catholic Office for the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults.

The 100 incidents involved 153 victims. There were 111 cases of sexual abuse, 14 of physical abuse and 11 of child pornography.

Of the 37 incidents of alleged abuse that actually took place last year, 17 involved priests and 10 of these concerned sexual abuse.

The remaining complaints were against employees, volunteers and parishioners. All allegations were reported to the police. There have already been two convictions from last year’s cases.

The sixty-two reported incidents in 2003 led to two cautions and five convictions with two prosecutions still ongoing.

The willingness of the Church to be open about its legacy of child sex abuse marks a sea change that has taken place after the 2001 investigation headed by Lord Nolan. The child protection office was set up as a result of his report, A Programme for Action.

The Archbishop of Birmingham, the Most Rev Vincent Nichols, who chairs the child protection management board, said that the figures illustrated a growing ability and awareness in the Church when confronted with child abuse.

He said: “This report gives an unambiguous message that any move towards the abuse of children that takes place within the Catholic community will be noted, reported and acted upon. That is absolutely clear. There is no hiding place within the Catholic community for people who would seek to abuse vulnerable people.”

He said that the issue was a difficult area which could get quite upsetting.

He continued: “As a bishop I am always upset when a priest or religious or someone who has been trusted with a role within the Church misbehaves in a particular way. What upsets me far more is the abuse of youngsters. In that sense, I can only be satisfied that there is a growing confidence within the Catholic community that if someone wants to come forward and say they have been abused, either 30 years ago or last week, that is what they should do.

“What we are more determined than anything to ensure is that these things will not take place within the Catholic community.”

Eileen Shearer, director of the child protection office, said: “The Church’s vital ongoing commitment to transparency on child protection matters is courageously demonstrated here. The changes in practice are clear to see.

“Allegations of abuse are routinely reported to the police and we should not be surprised or disheartened that more reports have been made in 2004.

“This is the fruit of the culture of vigilance commended by Lord Nolan.”

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