Dozens of children ‘abused on paedophile island by monk who lied about his identity’

A remote island in Wales has become known as a haven for paedophiles after a report found dozens of children were abused by monks over a period of decades.

More than 60,000 tourists take the half-mile ferry to Caldey Island from Tenby over the summer months. The remote location, presided over for hundreds of years by the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance, is home to a medieval church, a chocolate factory, a sprawling wood and picturesque beaches.

But a damning report into the 540-acre island – home to just 40 full-time residents including eight monks – has found the island’s ancient monastic tradition has been used to house a number of paedophiles who sexually assaulted at least 54 children – including some as young as three years old.

The 73-page report, commissioned in April by the recently appointed Abbot, Father Jan Rossey, heard testimony from 16 survivors who provided testimony of their abuse at the hands of Caldey Island monks.

Much of the report focuses on Father Thaddeus Kotik – a notorious serial sex offender known as ‘Father Thadd’ who abused a string of children in the 1970s and 1980s and evaded justice until his death in 1992.

Kotik claimed to have been a member of the Polish army and fought at D-Day in World War II before moving to Caldey Island and becoming a monk in 1947.

But this backstory turned out to be an elaborate hoax after it was revealed Kotik fabricated his military credentials in order to gain British citizenship, and actually worked at a ‘German camp’ during the Second World War.

The report claimed Kotik used ‘complex strategies’ to groom children and earn their parents’ trust, including keeping a tortoise and several kittens as pets in order to lure children away ti secluded areas to abuse them.

One witness to Kotik’s abuse recalled walking in on a young girl ‘half lying on Father Thaddeus’s chest… He was kissing her around her face and on her lips… Part of his hand was under her pants fondling her bottom.’

The witness reported the incident to the then-Abbot, Father Robert O’Brien, but received no response.

Another victim spoke of being abused by Kotik when he was ten years old after being bribed with ‘chocolate and sweets’ to earn his trust and admitted they even volunteered themselves for further abuse in order to spare their younger brother the same fate.

But Kotik was not the only abuser to find a safe haven on Caldey Island. In 2011, Father John Shannon, 58, was jailed for eight months after downloading 740 indecent photographs of children aged between 9 and 15.

Another paedophile, Paul Ashton, from West Sussex, was found hiding on the island after going on the run in 2004 after being charged with possession of indecent images of children.

Ashton was found living a charmed life with the Abbey and was considered to be ‘indispensable’ to the running of the Order. Assuming the name Robert Judd, Ashton was said to have ‘operated the island’s satellite internet and phone system, managed online accommodation bookings and the accounts and worked in the mail room.’

He was also found to be using the Order’s internet systems to download more indecent images of children. Ashton was finally caught after a visitor recognised his face from a Crimestoppers poster and tipped off police.

In 2017, an out-of-court settlement was awarded to six victims. One of them, ‘Rebecca’, lived on the island until she was five and was reported to be a victim of sexual abuse.

Twenty victims of child sexual abuse were identified during the independent review, which was conducted by former assistant police and crime commissioner Jan Pickles.

Caldey Island Survivors Campaign told Pickles it had been approached by 55 victims – and believes there are others who have not yet come forward.

Among Pickles’ recommendations included a suggestion that ‘all informal contact’ between monks and tourists should stop, and that it would be ‘of mutual advantage’ if selfies with visitors were banned. 

A strict ‘no touching’ policy must also be implemented, said Pickles, and ‘any accidental physical contact must be declared by the individual concerned and recorded within the day it occurred.’

Pickles also said Caldey survivors should sit on the island board. Maria Battle, formerly the deputy children’s commissioner for Wales and chair of Caldey’s safeguarding subcommittee, said all the recommendations would be implemented.

Father Jan Rossey – who was appointed Abbot last year – said: ‘I give my sincere apologies. I’m very sorry for all the suffering but also afterwards, for [victims] not being listened to.’

Kevin O’Connell, founder of the Caldey Island Survivors campaign, told the Daily Mail that the recent report marked ‘a step in the right direction’.

However, he added that ‘because the recommendations are not legally binding, it does not go far enough’.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.