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The Sun
14-06-2025
- The Sun
I was taken to UK's ‘paedo island' and subjected to horrific abuse from age 6… why I know I'll never get justice
A BRAVE victim of the UK's 'paedo island' has refused to help investigators in their efforts to improve safeguarding, fearing it is an impossible task. Caldey Island, off the coast of Tenby, Wales, has a dark past - with children being systematically sexually abused by a number of monks there for more than 50 years. 8 8 8 8 Multiple men with convictions for sexual offences have been known to have resided on the island at various times for decades. In December, a report was published following a 'thorough review' and has recommended several safeguarding measures. But one victim, who was abused for several years on the island during visits with her family, from age six, told The Sun this week: 'It's just posturing, I'm not going to take any notice. 'They say they've got this review and we're going to make it safe. Absolute b******s to that.' The victim - who previously described to us the horrors she suffered - went on to explain why she believed the systems overseeing the island would make it impossible to prevent future abuse. Mum told me not to report sick cult's abuse so I was silent for decades By Ryan Merrifield Evil monk Father Thaddeus Kotik, stationed at Caldey Island's monastery from 1947 until his death in 1992, never faced any criminal charges despite countless claims against him. However, six victims were paid compensation after a 2016 civil case found the Cistercian priest had sexually abused them between 1972 and 1987. One victim - who received a £19,000 payout - told The Sun she was advised against taking action by her mum and some former islanders who didn't want her to 'blacken the good name of Caldey'. She made the trip to the island over school holidays and was preyed on almost every day by Kotik - also claiming she saw him abuse others, including babies. The victim told us how the priest would wear Y-fronts back to front to seem harmless and naive, and 'to pretend he didn't know how it all worked'. 'We just thought, 'This is an adult who is interested in us.'' She continued: 'What I noticed about Father Thaddeus, he always abused [the children of] vulnerable families.' She described coach loads of kids from care often visiting the island for days at a time, who he would prey on as they visited the Abbey grounds, often after luring them into the garden. 'The other monks said he was a bit of a joker, a bit of a child," she explained. "They didn't take him that seriously, but they knew there was something dodgy about him.' Referring to the other monks and staff, she said: 'The whole island was like a cult, it was a feudal hierarchy. You had them at the top and then everybody else underneath.' She claims in 1990 she told her mum - who died several years ago - about the abuse but was warned not to report it or Kotik would be segregated from the other monks on the island. 'Father Thaddeus would abuse us three or four times a day,' she recalled. 'His hands were very rough, and he always stank of BO. We would get infections because his hands were so dirty.' She described how Kotik was 'so compulsive' and would invite kids to a makeshift office he had near the dairy. His myna bird would chatter and he'd offer them biscuits before abusing them. She said the Lincoln biscuits had 'lumps all over them'. 'I remember thinking they were the tears in my eyes and how sad they were. Thinking of somebody's eyes." The victim finally stopped going to the island regularly at the age of 16. By then, she had gone through puberty, so Kotik had lost interest in her. But the trauma has remained, and she was later raped by someone linked to the Catholic church when she was 15. 'I felt I didn't have any rights over my body, I didn't feel I could say, 'No, I don't want to do this',' she said. 'What I tend to do now is just avoid people because I was never brought up to have the self confidence to say no. 'What I've realised is I'd rather be busy and lonely than in a relationship. 'When a relationship gets remotely sexual I'm right there and it's too loaded and too many conflicting feelings." The probe was overseen by Former Assistant Police & Crime Commissioner for South Wales, Jan Pickles OBE. It came after Maria Battle, former chair of the Howell Dda University Health Board in Wales, had been appointed to oversee the island earlier in 2024. She is a director of the Caldey island Estate Company Ltd which has led anti-abuse campaigners to question her independence. The report - which focused largely on accusations against the late Father Thaddeus Kotik - concluded victims of sexual abuse on the island were treated in a hostile, heartless and cruel way. In response, Caldey Abbey, which commissioned the report, apologised for the suffering caused. Father Thaddeus Kotik and Caldey Island Victim testimonies from the 1970s collected by Ms Pickles suggest Kotik - who lived on Caldey from 1947 until his death in 1992 - was a 'serial and prolific abuser of children', often in 'plain sight' of others on the island. The report states there were multiple other occasions where accusations of child sexual abuse were not appropriately logged or reported to the authorities. Six of Kotik's victims were paid compensation after a 2016 civil case found the Cistercian priest had sexually abused them between 1972 and 1987. The victim we spoke received a £19,000 payout. She told us Ms Pickles' has been 'very good' but added: 'They're not going to put the right things in place.' They say they've got this review and we're going to make it safe. Absolute b******s to that. Caldey Island victim She described the island itself as still 'a very feudal society' and said her and other victims have been invited to join the board which oversees the island, to help implement new safeguarding measures. But she declined, telling us: 'I just don't really trust anyone who wants to sit on that board because it is like Sherry Arnstein's Ladder of Participation.' This refers to a framework developed in the 1960s which shows who had power when important decisions are made. 'It looks at how undemocratic inviting people to give their views is,' said the victim. HOW TO REPORT HISTORICAL SEX ABUSE This guide was produced by Operation Hydrant - a coordination hub established in June 2014 to deliver the national policing response, oversight, and coordination of non-recent child sexual abuse investigations. It specifically looks at cases concerning persons of public prominence, or in relation to those offences which took place within institutional settings. You can report to the police at any time. It can be done in a number of ways – going to a police station, dialling 101, reporting online via a police website, or even through a third party, such as a friend or relative. When you first make contact with the police, they will take an initial report, a 'first account'. The force will then make contact with you to take more detailed information. An impartial investigation will then be launched based on what you have told officers. 'It's just posturing, I'm not going to take any notice. 'They say they've got this review and we're going to make it safe. Absolute b******s to that.' She added the measures are just 'playing lip service' to 'show that they're doing due diligence… it doesn't help anything'. As part of the review, the monks are not allowed to give religious or pastoral advice to visitors, even if asked, or pose for a selfie with them. And under a 'no touch' policy will be obliged to report any accidental physical contact. The victim described the selfie ban is 'pathetic', adding: 'It's not the selfies, it's the grooming of the families who come and stay.' She said it is 'systemic' to the way the Catholic church often attempts to 'deal with things internally… they don't want to hand over the criminals to the law'. She recalled during the 1980s an article in a Catholic publication blaming paedophilia on divorcees. 'It said if people didn't get divorced you wouldn't have this problem,' she said. The review revealed that a number of sex offenders had spent time on Caldey, including Paul Ashton, who lived there for years under an alias while on the run from police. 8 8 8 He had unrestricted access to the IT system and used it to download indecent images of children. A visitor who discovered his true identity informed police and he was later jailed. When he was discovered at Caldey Island in 2011, more indecent images were found on his computer in the monastery. The visitor believed he had been operating a distribution network for indecent images of children, masquerading as a cleaning company. Two other men, Father John Shannon and John Cronin, convicted of sexual offences involving children, have also been linked to Caldey Island. Harrowing 'grooming' letter In a letter from an island resident seen by The Sun, it was alleged that a 'grooming' culture still persists and that offenders are 'protected'. The unnamed victim went on to tell us: 'If you're going to encourage people to take the vows of chastity, obedience and poverty, it's going to attract somebody, a certain sort of person, and quite likely that sort of person might be a little bit inadequate emotionally, or has something wrong.' She continued: 'I just think you've got the same situation now as you had back then. 'There's plenty of opportunity for a paedophile to groom families. 'There'll be someone on that island now who is a paedophile and it's just attracting that sort of person.' She said: 'The problem is, people turn up there who are dodgy. They are looking to run away - like any kind of grass roots community, you're going to get some people who are on the run from something. 'There's quite a lot of dodgy people there.' The problem is, people turn up there who are dodgy. They are looking to run away - like any kind of grass roots community, you're going to get some people who are on the run from something. Caldey Island victim Father Jan Rossey, who took on the role of abbot in 2023, said he'd read the review with "deep sorrow and regret" and that it was "particularly heartbreaking to hear children spoke up to adults and no action was taken. "Children and their families were failed when they should have been supported and listened to,' he said. He went on to 'sincerely apologise' to the victims of Kotik and 'past failures'. He added: "Since becoming Abbot, I have ensured that many safeguarding improvements have been put in place. These are detailed in the review.' Father Rossey said he had also reached out to anyone who came forward for the review 'offering to meet with them in person to apologise'. The victim we spoke to, who was not involved in the review, said she had not received such an offer. But said: 'I would meet him in person and I would tell him where I think the Catholic church has gone wrong - and how hollow some of these apologies are, and defensive, and not really genuine.' She added: 'I know there are people who are happy to speak about what happened but I try to have as little to do with it all as possible. 'I don't like to talk about it, I like to forget it. It's very haunting - this thing is still living with me.' 'Committed to ensuring highest standards' The Sun understands Safeguarding Officers and Trainers from the Religious Life Safeguarding Service (RLSS) have visited Caldey Island on multiple occasions since the investigation began, with the most recent visit taking place at the end of May. Melissa Andrews, CEO of the RLSS, said: "We are working closely with Caldey Island to ensure best practice in safeguarding. "Our team recently visited the island to deliver a series of training courses on-site, and we will continue to collaborate with their safeguarding lead to support and encourage their ongoing engagement." A spokesperson for Caldey island Estate Company Ltd said: "We are committed to ensuring the highest standards of safeguarding on Caldey Island. "Following the Independent Review led by Jan Pickles OBE—conducted entirely independently of Caldey Abbey—we have taken significant steps to implement all of the recommendations made. "Safeguarding matters are now overseen by an independent committee, which includes representation from victims and survivors. In line with the Review's guidance, our Safeguarding Lead is a qualified and experienced social worker who operates independently of the Island. We remain deeply committed to creating a safe, respectful, and transparent environment for everyone connected to Caldey Island, and we are grateful for the continued support and engagement of our wider community. Caldey Island spokesperson "We've made meaningful progress, much of which is detailed in the 2024 Annual Safeguarding Report, available on the Caldey Island website. "Looking ahead, the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency will be conducting an independent audit of our safeguarding practices in June 2025. "We welcome this review, and its findings will be made publicly available. "We remain deeply committed to creating a safe, respectful, and transparent environment for everyone connected to Caldey Island, and we are grateful for the continued support and engagement of our wider community." The Sun has also contacted Father Rossey for further comment. 8
The Guardian
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Artists, Siblings, Visionaries by Judith Mackrell review – the remarkable lives of Gwen and Augustus John
A young woman sits reading, a pot of tea to hand, her blue dress almost the only colour in a still, sandy room. Gwen John's painting The Convalescent shows a subdued yet happy moment, for this woman is free to think and feel. That, we see in Judith Mackrell's outstanding double biography of Gwen and her brother, was her ideal for living: to be at liberty even if that meant existing in deepest solitude. The quietness of a life spent largely alone in single rooms, reading, drawing, painting and occasionally having wild sex with the sculptor Rodin, is counterpointed in this epic narrative by the crowded, relentless, almost insanely overstimulated life of Augustus John. Lion of the arts in early 20th-century Britain, he was a bigamist, adulterer, father of so many children you lose track (so did he), and an utterly forgettable painter. Today, we take Gwen John's posthumous triumph over her brother for granted. While 'Gus' – as he was known in their childhood in Tenby, Wales, and to her always – was toweringly famous in his lifetime, portraitist of Lawrence of Arabia and James Joyce, he's dust now. Growing up in Wales, I liked his portrait of Dylan Thomas on the cover of a biography: curly-haired, baby-faced, rebellious. I didn't have any idea of the story behind it. As Mackrell relates, Augustus began a relationship with a teenager, Caitlin Macnamara, which she would come to see as abusive, punishing him by having a very physical flirtation with Thomas in front of him. Soon afterwards, she married the poet. Guilty and confused, Augustus would leave money in his coat pockets for the penniless couple to steal. Augustus's exploitation of the future Caitlin Thomas is the only occasion Mackrell judges him. By this time, in the 1930s, we've had some jaw-dropping antics. Gwen and Augustus both studied at the Slade, the first British art school to admit women, in the 1890s. Gus married Ida Nettleship, also a Slade student and Gwen's friend. How romantic, except he rapidly fell for model Dorothy McNeill whom he rechristened 'Dorelia', persuading his wife to accept Dorelia in a menage that was to last until Ida died after giving birth to her and Augustus's fifth child. No one in their circle complained – except Ida's mother. Gwen was no cardboard saint either. She shared her brother's belief that being an artist meant freedom from the Victorian bourgeois morality they'd been born into – Gwen in 1876, Augustus in 1878. All her life she would have sexual feelings for women as well as men. She persuaded Dorelia to sail to France with her and walk to Rome. They made it as far as Toulouse where Gwen portrayed her beautifully. In Dorelia in a Black Dress, she wears a flare of pink on her shoulder and gazes at us with unkempt hair and a subtle half smile. Even when it came to painting Augustus's muse, Gwen outdid her brother. His 1908-9 painting of Dorelia, Woman Smiling, was once acclaimed as a modern Mona Lisa but now looks ridiculous: Dorelia's grin is foolishly broad, she wears what Augustus saw as 'gypsy' garb and poses heftily in a pastiche of Rubens. It is Gwen who captures what made Dorelia magnetic. That's easy for us to say and see. In the early 20th century it was Augustus who looked like the star. One reason is obvious: he was a man. He bounded on to the art scene, a good-looking youth who learned from his elder Whistler to wear memorable hats and an artist's beard, seducing women after training himself on a Belgian brothel tour, a rebel dandy who was fascinated by the Romany. Gwen was shy, introverted, hard to know. 'I don't pretend to know anybody well,' she confessed. 'People are like shadows to me and I am like a shadow.' Augustus and Gwen had grown up together, both enthusiastic child artists, energetic thorns in the side of their widowed father. Is the contrast in their personalities the scar of gendered expectation? Mackrell goes far beyond a simplistic schema in mapping these lives. Gus is not a pantomime patriarchal villain, nor Gwen a feminist idol: they're human. The brother had a captivating generosity while his sister could be a tricky customer. Gwen complained that Augustus wasn't replying to her letters at a time when Dorelia (who stayed with him for life) was ill and his son dying of meningitis. 'There was a streak of ruthless self-absorption in her,' Mackrell writes , 'a lack of charity and self-awareness.' Gus was quite supportive, but his own life was so complex, tragically so; he got distracted. One of the siblings' worst fallings-out was over Gwen's relationship with Rodin. When she confessed she was not only modelling nude for the great sculptor but sleeping with him, her brother expressed disgust that she was being used by this old man, 36 years her senior. Rodin told her she had un corps admirable. Mackrell agrees. As a dance critic she brings an informed perspective to Gwen's work as a model, judging that her 'body, though small, was flexible and strong. She was elegantly proportioned, with small high breasts, narrow hips, long muscled legs, and a graceful neck – a woman who looked powerful in her nakedness.' That nakedness is preserved in Rodin's plaster statue of her as a Muse, looking gravely downward, for his unfinished Monument to Whistler. Gwen John had stepped into modern art. The story of these two lives is the story of British art in the early 20th century. Artists like Augustus, despite walking – and shagging – like avant gardists, just could not break out of the expectations of 'proper' painting demanded by the British public. In 1910, Van Gogh, Cézanne and other 'post-impressionists' were introduced to Britain in a show organised by Roger Fry. Augustus felt crushed by this shock of the new. Meanwhile, in her pared-down, conceptual images of women alone, Gwen in Paris was a born modernist. Her affair with Rodin was the great relationship of her life. He filled her with joy and agony, then moved on. Friends, including the poet Rilke, tried to help. But it took God to fill the void. When Gwen converted to Catholicism, Augustus was again shocked, for they had both been atheistic rebels against their Baptist upbringing. Gwen's life, from the outside, looked lonely, impoverished, eccentric, sad. She died after years of sickness at Dieppe in 1939, on a last trip to the sea, her burial site lost in the chaos of war. Yet her dedication to love, God and art seems fierce and wondrous now, her art a piercingly true autobiography. Meanwhile, Augustus is as slapdash in his paintings as his life. Biography can be a glib genre, but Mackrell approaches her subjects with an almost novelistic sensibility. What is success, what is failure? This book raises big questions about how we can judge or know others. One of Augustus's best paintings is a 1907 portrait of WB Yeats that gives the poet black, mystical eyes as if he's having a vision. I can't help wondering whether Yeats thought of him when he wrote that the artist 'is forced to choose / perfection of the life, or of the work'. This riot of a man believed he could have the two, and got neither. His sister, in her mystery, got both. Artists, Siblings, Visionaries: The Lives and Loves of Gwen and Augustus John by Judith Mackrell is published by Picador (£30). To support the Guardian, order your copy at Delivery charges may apply.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Pembrokeshire town to go green with special eco-friendly event
Tenby is going green in the days ahead as it plays its part in the national Great Big Green Week. The event, which started yesterday (Saturday June 7), is all about 'swapping together for good', said the town's community engagement officer, Anne Draper. 'We can all make small swaps, large swaps and swaps that change the system, to make our communities better," she said. 'By coming together, we'll also send a message loud and clear to our politicians and decision-makers that we need to swap old ways for better ways now.' For more information, contact Anne on annedraper@ or see the Tenby Town Council official Facebook page. The week kicks off with a Bring your own Picnic Big Lunch at Tenby Community Edible Garden in Sutton Street. The garden willl be the venue for the first event of the week. (Image: Tenby Edible Community Garden) Between noon and 2pm, people can go along with some food to share or just for themselves to enjoy. This will be followed by a plant swap and some nature discovery activities, and everyone is welcome. On Monday June 9, Tenby Community Forum will be in Augustus Place Hall at 4.30pm, where people can find out about litterpicking opportunities in the town. Saturday June 14 sees a variety of activities. The day gets underway with a Time for Tenby community litter pick, meeting by St Julian's Church at Tenby Harbour at 10am. Tenby Repair Café and Book Swap will be in the Augustus Place Hall from 2pm-4pm. Then in the same venue, between 5pm and 7pm, there will be a screening of a 2009 film, The End of the Line, abut the fishing industry. Everyone is welcome and invited to come early and bring some food to share. The Great Big Green Week's final event is the Tenby Citizen Science Club in the Augustus Place Hall from 4.30pm-5.30pm. Once again, all are welcome for this chance to find out about citizen science and the different projects that people can become involved in.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Pembrokeshire town to go green with special eco-friendly event
Tenby is going green in the days ahead as it plays its part in the national Great Big Green Week. The event, which started yesterday (Saturday June 7), is all about 'swapping together for good', said the town's community engagement officer, Anne Draper. 'We can all make small swaps, large swaps and swaps that change the system, to make our communities better," she said. 'By coming together, we'll also send a message loud and clear to our politicians and decision-makers that we need to swap old ways for better ways now.' For more information, contact Anne on annedraper@ or see the Tenby Town Council official Facebook page. The week kicks off with a Bring your own Picnic Big Lunch at Tenby Community Edible Garden in Sutton Street. The garden willl be the venue for the first event of the week. (Image: Tenby Edible Community Garden) Between noon and 2pm, people can go along with some food to share or just for themselves to enjoy. This will be followed by a plant swap and some nature discovery activities, and everyone is welcome. On Monday June 9, Tenby Community Forum will be in Augustus Place Hall at 4.30pm, where people can find out about litterpicking opportunities in the town. Saturday June 14 sees a variety of activities. The day gets underway with a Time for Tenby community litter pick, meeting by St Julian's Church at Tenby Harbour at 10am. Tenby Repair Café and Book Swap will be in the Augustus Place Hall from 2pm-4pm. Then in the same venue, between 5pm and 7pm, there will be a screening of a 2009 film, The End of the Line, abut the fishing industry. Everyone is welcome and invited to come early and bring some food to share. The Great Big Green Week's final event is the Tenby Citizen Science Club in the Augustus Place Hall from 4.30pm-5.30pm. Once again, all are welcome for this chance to find out about citizen science and the different projects that people can become involved in.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Yahoo
'Genteel' seaside town in Pembrokeshire with 'glorious' beaches among UK's best
A seaside town in Pembrokeshire boasting "glorious" beaches, pastel-painted Georgian and Victorian houses, and "neat little shops" has been named among Britain's best. From North Berwick (East Lothian) to Deal (Kent), the travel experts at The Telegraph have compiled a list of Britain's 10 most genteel seaside towns. Introducing the list, the news outlet said: "While there's a certain nostalgic joy to the type of coastal resort that's all candy floss, waltzers and slot machines, there's arguably greater pleasure in towns that have the seascapes and the golden sand but that are more cute than kitsch. "More sourdough than doughnut. More vibrant arts scene than end-of-the-pier innuendo. More artisanal ice cream than Mr Whippy." 🏖️ From the 'Biarritz of the North' to a perfectly-preserved medieval town, these coastal destinations make for a refined trip Find out more ⬇️ — Telegraph Travel (@TelegraphTravel) June 1, 2025 The top 10 most "genteel" seaside towns in Britain, according to The Telegraph, are: North Berwick (East Lothian) Lymington (Hampshire) Padstow (Cornwall) Deal (Kent) Aberaeron (Ceredigion) Southwold (Suffolk) Lytham (Lancashire) Burnham Market (Norfolk) Lyme Regis (Dorset) Tenby (Pembrokeshire) Tenby was named among Britain's top 10 most "genteel" seaside towns by The Telegraph, recommended for its beaches, pastel-painted Georgian and Victorian houses and "neat little shops". The news outlet explained: "Tenby's four, beautiful Blue Flag beaches are enough to attract anyone. "But the cliff-top town behind is a looker too. Here old stone walls encircle pastel-painted Georgian and Victorian houses, many of which are now neat little shops, bars and cafes. "For culture, pop into the Museum and Art Gallery and visit the 15th-century Tudor Merchant House before eating at Plantagenet, fine-dining in a 1,000-year-old building." The Telegraph isn't the only one to speak highly of Tenby. Visit Wales describes the Pembrokeshire town as "one of our best seaside towns". The tourism experts said you can expect "glorious" beaches, Victorian houses and "warm hospitality" upon visiting the coastal town. While Tripadvisor added: "Tenby is lovingly protected from the outside world by an embrace of 13th-century stone walls, which, ironically, attract—not repel—visitors from all over the world. "The town is simply adorable, teeming with the archetypes of pubs and shops one would expect to find in a U.K. city. "Adding further appeal are the miles of gorgeous beaches and the gently lapping waves of a blue-grey sea." The best bars and cafes in Tenby, according to The Telegraph, that are a must-visit include: Harbwr Brewery Môr Tenby Stowaway Coffee As well as the beaches and shops, there is plenty more to see and do when visiting Tenby. The top-rated attractions on Tripadvisor included: The Dinosaur Park Manor Wildlife Park Heatherton World of Activites Tudor Merchant's House RECOMMENDED READING: The 2 'charming' seaside towns among the best in Pembrokeshire according to locals 'Tranquil' seaside town in Pembrokeshire among the UK's best to move to in 2025 Pembrokeshire village that's 'heaven on earth' named among poshest in Britain 'Impressive' seaside spot in Pembrokeshire among UK's best for food and drink While The Telegraph suggested taking a "fabulous" four-mile walk along the coast path to Saundersfoot and trying out Sea and Steam - a mobile woodfire sauna on the beach front. If you are looking for somewhere to stay while in Tenby, The Telegraph recommended the 120-year-old cliff-top Imperial Hotel.
