Some Previous Cases we have dealt with
| Claimant | Damages | Date of Settlement |
|---|---|---|
| G | £330,000 | January 2004 |
| A | £704,268 | March 2005 |
| B | £125,000 | October 2005 |
| X | £22,500 | November 2005 |
| Y | £20,000 | November 2005 |
| C | £43,000 | January 2006 |
CLAIMANT G
G was abused between 1975 and 1983, between the ages of about 10 and 18. Proceedings were issued on 9th October 2001 against the Archbishop of Birmingham alleging negligence and breach of duty.
We were successful in persuading the court that the case could be brought outside the normal time limits and following the hearing, G obtained damages totalling £330,000 in January 2004.
Quote from G:"Clifton Ingram were a fantastic team right from the word go considering the delicate matters they had to deal with. I pay a special tribute to John Housden's knowledge, empathy and understanding. He and Justin Levinson (the Barrister) went that step further for me".
CLAIMANT A
From 1977 and 1988 when he was between the ages of 7 and 18. A was sexually abused by Father Clonan, the assistant priest at a church in Coventry. The sexual abuse was of the most serious kind. It was described by the Judge as "the grossest breach of the trust that A and his family placed in Father Clonan".
A has since suffered from disabling psychiatric disorders. His quality of life has been severely affected and he has been living for many years in sheltered accommodation for mentally ill people.
Ultimately, the Archbishop of Birmingham accepted liability in negligence to A for the sexual abuse by Father Clonan. The Archbishop continued to dispute the extent to which the abuse had affected A and, in particular, his ability to earn a living.
The Judge rejected the arguments put forward on behalf of the Archbishop and awarded A damages totalling £704,268 after a hearing lasting six days in the High Court.
Quote from A:"Not only did I receive a professional service but also a personal one and in such a delicate matter, it made so much difference. I want to encourage people to come forward and deal with their problems."
CLAIMANT B
B and his family attended a church in Coventry and in 1972 he became an altar boy. Between 1972 and 1976 Father Clonan sexually abused B on 20 - 25 occasions. Initially the Defendants denied responsibility for Father Clonan's actions. The Defendants also denied knowledge of the sexual abuse or that they were negligent in any way. The claim was pursued and set down for a hearing at the High Court but the matter was settled prior to that, B receiving £125,000 in damages.
Quote from B:"I have reached an end to a long period of unrest and stress and it was good to put the matter to bed. I have tried to put it to the back of my mind and get on with my life but the sub-conscious always wins. Anybody who is feeling the same as I was, please do not hesitate to come forward. There is help out there and I urge you to find it. It is such a relief to know that there are people out there to help and it is a great relief to come to the end of a long journey."
"Clifton Ingram are without doubt one of the best firms that I have ever had the fortune to come across. They are professional, hard working and courteous. They have a great team, which includes the Barrister Justin Levinson and a special thanks goes out to Barry Tattam who fights to the end. Many thanks to them all."
CLAIMANT X
X and his family were parishioners of a Coventry church, and they regularly attended services and other activities at the church. In about 1978 X began serving as an altar boy at the church. On numerous occasions between 1979 and 1982 he was seriously assaulted and abused in a sexual manner by Father Robinson. The proceedings were commenced against the Archbishop of Birmingham who denied that he was aware of Father Robinson's propensity to commit the alleged sexual abuse. It was also denied that other altar boys had been assaulted or sexually abused by Father Robinson. We faced the problems again of denial of liability, time limits and the value of the claim was challenged.
The matter was settled prior to a Court hearing and X received £22,500 damages.
CLAIMANT Y
Y and his family were parishioners of a church in Birmingham, and regularly attended services and other activities organised by the church. In about 1973 Y began serving as an altar boy at the church. Between 1973 and 1974 he was seriously assaulted and abused in a sexual manner by Father Robinson.
The problems encountered were those of limitation, the claim being brought approximately 24 years since the expiry of the limitation period. Liability was denied and also the value of the claim was challenged. A Claim was started against the Catholic Church but the matter was settled by the Claimant receiving £20,000 damages.
Quote from Y:"You were there to offer the help and reassurance I needed and I thank you most sincerely. You took me through the legal process and I couldn't have asked for any better representation. I couldn't have wished for a nicer team to have worked with."
CLAIMANT C
In 1989 at the age of 9, whilst attending a junior day school run by the monks of a Roman Catholic school. C was sexually abused by D who was both a Catholic priest, a teacher and headmaster of the school. Instances of abuse continued for four years to 1992.
It was found that C suffered from depression and other psychiatric symptoms. His quality of life had been severely affected and he became alienated from his family. He completed his education four years later than normal. He was awarded damages of £43,000.
Quote from C:"It is very hard to talk of sexual abuse. I was left in a desperate situation and with the help of a friend I came to terms with my problems. Nobody believed me apart from my friend and my lawyers. I brought this case to prove what happened to me and to try and help others who have similarly suffered."