Former Priest Appears In Court Over Assaulting Pupils
An 82 year old former priest at Fort Augustus Abbey school appeared in private at Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday (Thursday) on six charges of assaulting pupils to their injury there.
Father Benedict Seed appeared before Sheriff Margaret Neilson under his real name of Thomas Seed.
The former Brora priest was a monk teaching chemistry at the former Roman Catholic Boarding School on the shores of Loch Ness before moving to the Sutherland area when it closed in 1999.
Through his solicitor, John MacColl, he made no plea or declaration, was committed for further examination and released on bail.
The Crown Office refused to give further details of the charges against Seed.
There has been an on-going police investigation into allegations of physical and sexual abuse at the Abbey going back several decades.
in 2013, a TV investigation uncovered evidence of serious physical and sexual abuse at one of Scotland's most prestigious Catholic boarding schools.
Accounts of abuse at the now-closed Fort Augustus Abbey School in the Highlands and feeder school Carlekemp in East Lothian spanned 30 years.
The programme spoke to 50 former pupils about their experiences at the schools, which were run by Benedictine monks.
Many said they had nothing but good memories of the place but during the six-month investigation, investigators heard accounts from old boys of physical violence and sexual assault including rape by monks.
The Crown Office spokesman added: "Reports relating to a further eight men remain under consideration."
Seed was one of seven siblings and he celebrated 50 years in the priesthood in 2006, having been ordained in 1956.
Born in Duns, Berwickshire, he joined the Fort Augustus monastery in 1950 and remained a member of the community there for 49 years, serving as house master and also Head Master.
He completed his theological studies in Rome and was also a graduate of St Andrew's University.
He was well known for leading the voluntary Fire Brigade which had its base at the Abbey. His hobby was beekeeping.