A safeguarding review has revealed that victims of child sexual abuse on Caldey Island, off Pembrokeshire, were subjected to decades of cruelty, neglect, and hostility by the island’s Cistercian monks, as reported by The BBC.
One survivor said the monks’ actions after the abuse made its effects “a million times worse”. The review found that allegations of abuse were repeatedly ignored or not reported to the police, enabling one monk, Father Thaddeus Kotik, to abuse children “in plain sight” over four decades. The report also highlighted systemic failures and a lack of accountability that allowed the abuse to persist.
Father Jan Rossey, the abbey’s new abbot, apologised for the “pain and suffering” caused by both the abuse and the subsequent handling of survivors’ complaints.
Rebecca, who lived on Caldey Island for the first five and a half years of her life, is one of 16 survivors who shared their stories with consultant social worker Jan Pickles, commissioned by Caldey Abbey to write the review.
Between the late 1960s and 1992, Kotik groomed children with promises of sweets and gifts before sexually abusing them.
Rebecca’s trauma persisted throughout her life. As a teenager, she battled self-hatred, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts. As an adult, the effects of the abuse impacted her ability to work and trust others.
In 2017, Rebecca was one of six women to receive a small compensation payment from the abbey in a civil claim, but no apology was given. She described the payment as “hush money” and said the abbey’s cover-ups exacerbated her suffering.
The review revealed that repeated allegations against Kotik were not reported to authorities, despite legal requirements. This failure allowed Kotik to continue his abuse for decades.
The report also described the abbey’s response to survivors as “hostile and cruel”. Legal teams threatened survivors with legal action, dismissed them as “fantasists,” and adopted an adversarial approach that further traumatised victims and their families.
The review uncovered further disturbing incidents involving other offenders. Paul Ashton, a fugitive who lived on the island for seven years under an alias, had unrestricted access to the IT system. He used it to download and distribute child pornography.
Ashton was later arrested and jailed after a visitor uncovered his true identity. Police believe he operated a child pornography network from the island.
The review highlighted the precarious living conditions for lay residents who lived and worked on the island. Homes and jobs, controlled by the abbey, were awarded or revoked arbitrarily, fostering a culture of dependence and fear. Many were reluctant to report concerns or allegations for fear of losing their homes or livelihoods.
Father Jan Rossey, who became abbot last year, expressed regret over the abbey’s failures and pledged to implement the review’s 12 recommendations. These include mandatory safeguarding training for all residents and visitors, and ensuring all individuals on the island undergo DBS checks.
Despite the apology and new safeguarding measures, survivors like Rebecca feel the response has come too late.
