August 9, 2018
Inquiry says Ampleforth and Downside put own reputations before protection of children
The true scale of sexual abuse at two of the UK’s leading Catholic independent schools over a period of 40 years is likely to be far higher than the 10 people convicted or cautioned in relation to sexual offences, a report by the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse has concluded.
Ampleforth in North Yorkshire and Downside in Somerset “prioritised the monks and their own reputations over the protection of children … in order to avoid scandal”, said the report, which was published by IICSA on Thursday after hearings last year.