Largs priest denies historic sex abuse against children and student
Father Francis Moore is standing trial at the high court in Glasgow
Last updated 27th Feb 2018
A priest from Largs has appeared in court accused of historic sexual abuse against three boys and a student.
A man, who is now aged 46, claimed that Father Francis Moore kissed and then sexually abused him on various occasions between January 1977 and August 1978.
He was giving evidence at the trial of Moore, 82, who denies sexually abusing three boys and a student priest.
The witness, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the jurors that the abuse took place for the first time after he was sent to Father Moore by his teachers for religious education. On Tuesday at the High Court in Glasgow he told prosecutor Shanti Maguire: “I was described as having offended God.
The man told the court that he was crying and Father Moore embraced him and then sexually abused him.
He added: “He said I was a lovely boy and he would make it okay. Time sort of froze. He had his hands running up and down my back. He kept saying I was a nice boy.”
The man broke down and sobbed as he said: “I just wanted to get it over. I just wanted to get home to my mum.”
The witness told the court he was abused by Father Moore on four or five months over a six-month period.
He claimed that on one occasion the abuse took place after the priest had taken Mass and was in his vestments.
The man added: “He said I was a good boy and he wanted to help me. He wanted to put God inside me.'
The witness, who is unemployed, said that he told his mother what he alleged had happened to him, but claimed she hit him, put him to bed without any tea and said he had embarrassed her.
Moore is charged with abusing one of the boys at St Marks Primary School, Irvine, another at the Magnum Leisure Centre, Irvine, and the third at Irvine Beach 40 years ago.
Moore is also accused of indecently assaulting a student priest at a house in Prestwick on various occasions between August 1, 1995, and July 31, 1996..
He also faces a charge of committing a breach of the peace at Prestwick swimming baths on various occasions between August 1, 1995, and July 31, 1996 by repeatedly staring at the bodies and private parts of young boys and others in the pool.
Moore denies all the charges against him.
The 46-year-old witness also claims that he was abused at Fort Augustus School near Inverness when he was a teenager.
The trial before Judge Lady Rae continues.