Posted on 01/08/2002 5:29:00 AM PST by marshmallow
LONDON, Jan 7, 02 (CWNews.com) - Father John Tolkien-- eldest son of The Lord of the Rings author, J.R.R. Tolkien-- had been questioned by police over allegations of sexually abusing boys.
West Midlands Police have sent a file on their inquiry to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) who will now assess whether to press formal charges against the retired 84-year-old priest.
The alleged offenses were said to have been carried out against a number of boys over the period of Father Tolkien's career in several parishes in Birmingham Archdiocese.
Detectives began their inquiry after they were contacted by Chris Carrie, 56, who claims that he was sexually assaulted as an 11-year-old. Police have since interviewed a number of other alleged victims.
A spokesman for the CPS told the Sunday Telegraph: "We can confirm that we received a file in December 2001 from West Midlands Police relating to this matter. It is now under consideration."
Carrie, who has waived his right to anonymity, told the newspaper: "I am pleased that the police investigation has progressed as far as submitting a file to the CPS. I was aware that a file has been sent to the CPS but I have been asked by the police not to comment further. They said the whole inquiry was very sensitive."
Steven Maier, Father Tolkien's solicitor, said: "No charges have been brought against him. Beyond that, I don't think we can really comment."
How could the accuser possibly have verifiable evidence other than his own word?
Seems he knows this will grab headlines due to the slander victim's last name. The accuser should be ashamed - perhaps he thinks he can get some of the royalties if he sqwaks loud enough?
This is the sort of thing that makes it harder for true abuse victims to come forward.
"Questioned by police?" Oh, he's clearly guilty then. String him up, by all means! [Now, drink coffee and engage brain.]
Maybe. Or maybe this Carie fellow finally summoned the courage to do what he should have done years ago.
How could the accuser possibly have verifiable evidence other than his own word?
Others have been interviewed, apparently, and the times and places will either check out or they won't.
The accuser should be ashamed - perhaps he thinks he can get some of the royalties if he sqwaks loud enough?
Perhaps. But if the priest is guilty, the victims are at least entitled to justice.
I, for one, am sick to death of priests who abuse children. Cardinal Law has ADMITTED to covering for a priest who went on to molest other boys.
Your reaction, unfortunately, is the knee-jerk reaction of most of the hierarchy over the last fifteen years. And it's got to stop.
That's all we need, for the priesthood to become known as a gay profession that coddles pedophiles. You wonder why families steer their young men away from it?
You could not be more wrong.
<> Its the 45 year wait. Plain and simple. Can you imagine if a woman accused President George W. Bush today about a pass he made 10 years ago? It would be SOOOOOOOO lacking in credibility. Even Juanita Borderick at least had some contemporaneous witnesses to her injured lip and her immediate explanation to that witness of how she got the lip injury. And her story is still hard to prove even though it was only 2 decades ago.
You are experienced and sensible - but you seem to think (without foundation) most conservative catholics like me are not. And you are wrong to make such assumptions.
But he could be a true abuse victim. Wait for the investigation, which is what this man and the press should have done. He's waited 45 years. He didn't need to flash the press after all these years, going to the police was sufficient.
She wouldn't be credible if she was the only one making the accusation.
What made the accusations, ANY ACCUSATIONS, by women against Clinton so believeable? The sheer numbers of women coming forward. Does anybody really doubt Juanita Broddrick's story?
The article says there are other men being interviewed. They'll either be credible or they won't be.
And I didn't mean to impugn your motives.
We'll just have to wait and see what the entire picture reveals.
I have a personal experience where I asked a hospital Eucharistic minister (a sweet lady )and the hospital Catholic Chaplain to help with a young boy that had no dad and an alcoholic mom.
The lay minister and I "adopted" the boy,we had him for meals and visits for the next year, as did the priest.
A year later the 13 year old boy was found hanging in his closet on Christmas day..I thank God it was not too late ,they were able to save him. He was then sent to live in Fla. with his dad .
Two years later there was an article in the local paper that that same priest was under questioning for the sexual abuse of minor boys. It came out that the diocese had known of his "problem" and sent him for therapy.They all knew ,but we didn't
My heart breaks every time I think of this. That little boy had to have been very "injured" spiritually and emotionally. I liked the priest,it seemed so logical that he would be a good influence on this boy. My guilt overwhelms me!
"If I had only known......."
You're being way too hard on yourself. Pedophiles are experts at hiding their proclivities.
You would NEVER have known.
Yeah, I could imagine that quite easily. It would go like this: RatherBrokawJennings would start every broadcast from now to the elections with an update on the story, the poor victim, and the wicked Bush family's attempts to stonewall and silence the story. It would be above the fold on the New York Times and the Washington Post several times per week and would be tied to the dangers of having a "proven rapist" in charge of the military of the United States. Bill Clinton would comment on the need to call on President Bush to resign so as not to disgrace the office!
Yeah, I could imagine that quite easily.
Ditto. Why now? Because of the fact that there are pedophile priests, and their cases receive far more attention than that of any other case involving molestation, any accusation of sexual misconduct made that involves clergymen is going to sound credible. I just find this one a bit hard to believe.
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