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Nun raped me and had my baby - The torment of a schoolboy victim | UK | News
Paul Jeeves
Edward Hayes wanted to lift the lid on sex abuse by nuns
He wanted to speak out over the Easter weekend to lift the lid on sexual abuse by
nuns and encourage other victims to finally come forward after years of secret
torment
While horrific historic sexual abuse of boys by priests has been widely exposed, he
believes his case could be the “tip of the iceberg” in revealing how nuns may also have
targeted vulnerable boys.
Mr Hayes’s ordeal over nearly three years happened at the former John Reynolds
Home in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, run by The Franciscan Missionaries of St
Joseph, a Catholic congregation of nuns.
He said: “I never thought I would hate people as much as I hate those in the Church
for what they allowed to happen to me.
“They have acknowledged what happened but I don’t feel like I’ve ever had a proper
apology from those in positions of power. I think they are terrified about what else
might emerge.”
Nun raped me and had my baby - The torment of a schoolboy victim | UK... Nun raped me and had my baby: Torment of schoolboy victim revealed in shock abuse scandal...
1 of 9 05/05/2018, 08:44
Edward, now a grandfather aged 76, fell victim to then 27-year-old Irish nun Sister
Mary Conleth, real name Bessie Veronica Lawler, in the 1950s. She worked in the
laundry room and asked her superiors for his assistance.
But the almost daily abuse ended abruptly when the nun fell pregnant and was sent
back to Ireland in disgrace. Edward was sent to a hostel in Cumbria.
He has no idea what happened to the child he fathered and Sister Conleth is now
dead.
But he has decided to waive his right to anonymity to expose the abuse and encourage
fellow victims to confront their demons. He said: “I went through hell for the majority
of my life, trying to hide what happened to me. Nobody should go through that.”
Edward, who now lives in Carlisle, was just 10 and known as Billy when he was put in
the home after being neglected by his parents. Initially, he had viewed his new home
as a blessing.
“It was nice to be somewhere warm, where I was eating food and having hot baths,”
he said.
“My first years there created some great memories for me. I was a great student, I
sang in the choir, I could read perfect Latin and was even playing football – being
touted by the local football clubs.”
But his new life turned sour when Sister Conleth arrived around 1953 and sought him
out.
Edward said: “I had barely started work there when it happened. I was still 12. She’d
pull my trousers down. She’d push me to the floor and would lay on top of me.
“I hated doing it but she said she’d tell on me if I didn’t, that I’d been a bad boy and
I’d be punished. She’d talk dirty to me. I would not let her kiss me. I thought babies
were made by men kissing women.”
Housing in Lytham St Annes, Lancs., that used to be John Reynolds Home
By the time Edward was 14 he was allocated his own room – something unheard of at
the home. But the reason soon became apparent when Sister Conleth started paying
him night visits.
In April 1956 the abuse came to a sudden end when the nun declared she was
pregnant. Edward said: “I didn’t even understand how I got her pregnant because I
never kissed her. We were more naive back then.”
He was put onto a train to Cumbria after Christmas with just a small suitcase and was
met by a man claiming to be his grandfather, who took him to another home. He
never saw the man again.
Over the years he was contacted by the Mother Superior from his former home,
Mother Mary Osmund, but he now realises she was only keeping tabs on him to make
sure Sister Conleth did not get in touch.
Edward Hayes aged 14-years-old
After a short period, he was adopted by a family and began a chaotic adult life,
marred by alcoholism. He married and had two children but it failed because he was
unable to build “normal relationships”.
Desperate and searching for a routine, Edward joined the Army, signing up with the
Royal Artillery, but left after five years in 1969 because he developed an ulcer through
drinking and was medically discharged.
He added: “I couldn’t ever settle. Every single day I thought about the abuse, I started
drinking to try and blot everything out. I never told anybody what happened to me,
not even my wife.”
It was only in 1998 that Edward decided it was time to confront his past after reading
about clerical abuse. But he struggled to find anyone to listen, having initially tried
the police, a social worker, his MP and, years later, Catholic charity Caritas Care. It
was only when he discovered a survivor group through a leaflet at the local library in
2010 that his life started to change.
Edward met Noel Chardon, a fellow survivor of Catholic Church abuse, who was on a
mission to help others come to terms with their ordeals. The retired English history
teacher and trained psychologist was a volunteer at Macsas (Minister and Clergy
Sexual Abuse Survivors), a support group for people abused by clergy, when they
made contact.
Edward Hayes aged 76, is seeking justice for sexual abuse at the hands of a nun when
he was a child
Noel, 72, who offers his own telephone befriending service, said: “Victims of the
Catholic Church are treated absolutely appalling. I know that first hand.
“They have no interest in self-empowerment, they don’t want victims to heal because
they do not want to face up to what they did.
“They sent Edward up a cul-de-sac and dumped him there. They are waiting for
people like Edward, like myself, like the Magdalene women, to die so they can say
that this all happened such a long time ago and that they’re so very sorry.”
With Noel’s help, Edward managed to get rehoused and over time, he has managed to
build bridges with his family and is now on good terms with his ex-wife, sons and
grandchildren.
Edward said he only told his ex-wife what had happened just two years ago and she
said: “That explains a lot.”
But now, as I speak out publicly about what happened to me, I think it will
be the most satisfying of all. I might not be able to win, but I can get even
Edward Hayes
In 2012 Edward was granted legal aid so he could make the Church accountable in
court, but after becoming disillusioned with the efforts of the law firm, he and Noel
took on the case themselves.
A breakthrough came in 2016 when, with the help of a new solicitor, Edward was
offered £20,000 compensation, although most was subsequently lost in legal fees.
He said: “I was pleased to bring them to account but it was a pittance. I worked out
they were giving me about 22p a day for my ordeal. But at least I made them
acknowledge what they had done to me.
“But now, as I speak out publicly about what happened to me, I think it will be the
most satisfying of all. I might not be able to win, but I can get even.”
The letter Edward received regarding his compensation
Noel said: “Edward has shown sheer determination throughout, he is one of the most
motivated people in the survivor community I have ever seen.”
A spokesman for the Sisters of the Franciscan Missionaries of St Joseph said: “I am
desperately sad that abuse took place to Mr Hayes while he was placed under our
care.
“The Franciscan Missionaries of St Joseph have offered our sincere and unreserved
apology for the abuse he suffered whilst resident at the John Reynolds Home and all
the subsequent pain and trauma which followed the actual abuse.”
The spokesman added: “There is no place for abuse in the Church and along with
every other agency caring for children and vulnerable adults, we now have stringent
safeguarding policies which aim to prevent any possible recurrence of what happened
to Mr Hayes.”
CHANZO :-
Nun raped me and had my baby: Torment of schoolboy victim revealed in shock abuse scandal...
9 of 9 05/05/2018, 08:44
Paul Jeeves
Edward Hayes wanted to lift the lid on sex abuse by nuns
He wanted to speak out over the Easter weekend to lift the lid on sexual abuse by
nuns and encourage other victims to finally come forward after years of secret
torment
While horrific historic sexual abuse of boys by priests has been widely exposed, he
believes his case could be the “tip of the iceberg” in revealing how nuns may also have
targeted vulnerable boys.
Mr Hayes’s ordeal over nearly three years happened at the former John Reynolds
Home in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, run by The Franciscan Missionaries of St
Joseph, a Catholic congregation of nuns.
He said: “I never thought I would hate people as much as I hate those in the Church
for what they allowed to happen to me.
“They have acknowledged what happened but I don’t feel like I’ve ever had a proper
apology from those in positions of power. I think they are terrified about what else
might emerge.”
Nun raped me and had my baby - The torment of a schoolboy victim | UK... Nun raped me and had my baby: Torment of schoolboy victim revealed in shock abuse scandal...
1 of 9 05/05/2018, 08:44
Edward, now a grandfather aged 76, fell victim to then 27-year-old Irish nun Sister
Mary Conleth, real name Bessie Veronica Lawler, in the 1950s. She worked in the
laundry room and asked her superiors for his assistance.
But the almost daily abuse ended abruptly when the nun fell pregnant and was sent
back to Ireland in disgrace. Edward was sent to a hostel in Cumbria.
He has no idea what happened to the child he fathered and Sister Conleth is now
dead.
But he has decided to waive his right to anonymity to expose the abuse and encourage
fellow victims to confront their demons. He said: “I went through hell for the majority
of my life, trying to hide what happened to me. Nobody should go through that.”
Edward, who now lives in Carlisle, was just 10 and known as Billy when he was put in
the home after being neglected by his parents. Initially, he had viewed his new home
as a blessing.
“It was nice to be somewhere warm, where I was eating food and having hot baths,”
he said.
“My first years there created some great memories for me. I was a great student, I
sang in the choir, I could read perfect Latin and was even playing football – being
touted by the local football clubs.”
But his new life turned sour when Sister Conleth arrived around 1953 and sought him
out.
Edward said: “I had barely started work there when it happened. I was still 12. She’d
pull my trousers down. She’d push me to the floor and would lay on top of me.
“I hated doing it but she said she’d tell on me if I didn’t, that I’d been a bad boy and
I’d be punished. She’d talk dirty to me. I would not let her kiss me. I thought babies
were made by men kissing women.”
Housing in Lytham St Annes, Lancs., that used to be John Reynolds Home
By the time Edward was 14 he was allocated his own room – something unheard of at
the home. But the reason soon became apparent when Sister Conleth started paying
him night visits.
In April 1956 the abuse came to a sudden end when the nun declared she was
pregnant. Edward said: “I didn’t even understand how I got her pregnant because I
never kissed her. We were more naive back then.”
He was put onto a train to Cumbria after Christmas with just a small suitcase and was
met by a man claiming to be his grandfather, who took him to another home. He
never saw the man again.
Over the years he was contacted by the Mother Superior from his former home,
Mother Mary Osmund, but he now realises she was only keeping tabs on him to make
sure Sister Conleth did not get in touch.
Edward Hayes aged 14-years-old
After a short period, he was adopted by a family and began a chaotic adult life,
marred by alcoholism. He married and had two children but it failed because he was
unable to build “normal relationships”.
Desperate and searching for a routine, Edward joined the Army, signing up with the
Royal Artillery, but left after five years in 1969 because he developed an ulcer through
drinking and was medically discharged.
He added: “I couldn’t ever settle. Every single day I thought about the abuse, I started
drinking to try and blot everything out. I never told anybody what happened to me,
not even my wife.”
It was only in 1998 that Edward decided it was time to confront his past after reading
about clerical abuse. But he struggled to find anyone to listen, having initially tried
the police, a social worker, his MP and, years later, Catholic charity Caritas Care. It
was only when he discovered a survivor group through a leaflet at the local library in
2010 that his life started to change.
Edward met Noel Chardon, a fellow survivor of Catholic Church abuse, who was on a
mission to help others come to terms with their ordeals. The retired English history
teacher and trained psychologist was a volunteer at Macsas (Minister and Clergy
Sexual Abuse Survivors), a support group for people abused by clergy, when they
made contact.
Edward Hayes aged 76, is seeking justice for sexual abuse at the hands of a nun when
he was a child
Noel, 72, who offers his own telephone befriending service, said: “Victims of the
Catholic Church are treated absolutely appalling. I know that first hand.
“They have no interest in self-empowerment, they don’t want victims to heal because
they do not want to face up to what they did.
“They sent Edward up a cul-de-sac and dumped him there. They are waiting for
people like Edward, like myself, like the Magdalene women, to die so they can say
that this all happened such a long time ago and that they’re so very sorry.”
With Noel’s help, Edward managed to get rehoused and over time, he has managed to
build bridges with his family and is now on good terms with his ex-wife, sons and
grandchildren.
Edward said he only told his ex-wife what had happened just two years ago and she
said: “That explains a lot.”
But now, as I speak out publicly about what happened to me, I think it will
be the most satisfying of all. I might not be able to win, but I can get even
Edward Hayes
In 2012 Edward was granted legal aid so he could make the Church accountable in
court, but after becoming disillusioned with the efforts of the law firm, he and Noel
took on the case themselves.
A breakthrough came in 2016 when, with the help of a new solicitor, Edward was
offered £20,000 compensation, although most was subsequently lost in legal fees.
He said: “I was pleased to bring them to account but it was a pittance. I worked out
they were giving me about 22p a day for my ordeal. But at least I made them
acknowledge what they had done to me.
“But now, as I speak out publicly about what happened to me, I think it will be the
most satisfying of all. I might not be able to win, but I can get even.”
The letter Edward received regarding his compensation
Noel said: “Edward has shown sheer determination throughout, he is one of the most
motivated people in the survivor community I have ever seen.”
A spokesman for the Sisters of the Franciscan Missionaries of St Joseph said: “I am
desperately sad that abuse took place to Mr Hayes while he was placed under our
care.
“The Franciscan Missionaries of St Joseph have offered our sincere and unreserved
apology for the abuse he suffered whilst resident at the John Reynolds Home and all
the subsequent pain and trauma which followed the actual abuse.”
The spokesman added: “There is no place for abuse in the Church and along with
every other agency caring for children and vulnerable adults, we now have stringent
safeguarding policies which aim to prevent any possible recurrence of what happened
to Mr Hayes.”
CHANZO :-
Nun raped me and had my baby: Torment of schoolboy victim revealed in shock abuse scandal...
9 of 9 05/05/2018, 08:44
