This is meant to be my business blog, but sometimes things happen that transcend the spurious barrier between business and the rest of our lives and are simply too important not to comment on. I have an example today. Earlier this morning I was alerted to the fact that my old RE teacher from 30 years ago was jailed for eight years last Friday for sexual offences against young boys.
The reports of Fr. David Pearce OSB's jailing range from the Sun's typically Rotweillerish 'Devil in a Dog Collar' approach to the Independent's somewhat more considered and rounded report....although it too opts for the rather lurid headline.
Reading the reports immediately took me back to St. Benedict's where I spent seven pretty good years between 1975 and 1982. Pearce arrived on the teaching staff about a year after my arrival as a pupil. He'd previously been Maurice Pearce and had been an army dentist before studying for the priesthood. If my recollection's right, he'd been a pupil at St. Benedict's back in the 1950s.
While the press reports point to his charm and guile, and several commenters on the Sun article point to his wisdom and humility, that's not the man I remember. My recollection is of a 'Cheshire Cat' - a beaming wide, white-tooth-filled smile that was rarely reflected in his eyes; a vanity that expressed itself in naked favouritism towards those who indulged him, and a slightly cruel sarcasm reserved for those who, I think, saw through his insincerity.
He could turn on the charm for parents and teachers alike, and as one of the school's monastic community, was respected by all the adults around him - perhaps respecting the monastic robes more than the man within. But there was something strangely malevolent about Pearce's personality. This morning I realised that this was not just hindsight talking: as pupils, we'd quickly built up a folklore around this new teaching priest. Very early in his time at the school he'd earned the nickname 'Gay Dave', and it was pretty much an unwritten rule among us boys to be wary of him. He did invite boys for tea and toast in his teaching room, though my recollection was that this was small groups, not individuals. Clearly he was smarter than we thought at hiding the nastiest side of his character.
I was never subject to any physical abuse from Pearce, although have occasion to remember the only time I was ever called alone to his room (all senior teachers had a private study). By that time I was about 16 and had a streak of belligerence that would have put any teacher off trying anything on. I'd written a pretty childish essay attacking the hypocrisy of the Catholic church. He awarded me 0% and tore the piece up in front of me. I guess there's something deeply ironic in there somewhere....!
It would be easy to say that my memory of St. Benedict's is now tainted. To find out that there was a predatory paedophile at the school during my time as a pupil is quite shocking, though in hindsight, the pieces fit. If anyone on the staff at the time fitted the profile, it was Pearce. Yet somehow, in an era when corporal punishment was the norm; when total obedience to whatever a teacher ordered was simply the way the school operated and when, perhaps, we as boys were simply more tolerant of a harsher educational regime, it was clearly easier for the bad apples to exploit the system. As far as I know, no-one in my circle was abused by Pearce - but then again, I can't be sure.
Pearce's offences were not deemed to be on the most serious end of the paedophile scale, yet one wonders if this man who led a totally duplicitous life for 30 years or more has actually revealed the full extent of his crimes. I simply don't buy the theory that he committed only 10 offences over three decades, and I suspect there are many more former pupils still too ashamed to come forward.
I never liked him; I'm glad he has been judged for his crimes and I hope he dies in prison. It is just such an awful shame that he was allowed to get away with so much for so long. It is all the more shameful that the monastic community protected him and still seems reluctant to condemn him.
Yet my school years were not tainted. I received a superb education at St. Benedict's, benefiting from teachers who had all the right passions, opening the world of English literature and history to me particularly and infusing me with a love of education that has never died.
Pearce is a deeply flawed individual; there are undoubted flaws in the way the Catholic church operates; and there were many aspects of the education system in the late '70s that would never be tolerated today. Thankfully, the vast majority of us thrived. It's just so appalling that a few suffered at the hands of this evil individual who exploited all the advantages of being a teaching monk so vindictively.
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17 comments:
tip of ealing iceberg!
elucidate and exemplify....
Interesting first comment, since that iceberg must have been pretty deeply submerged. I too am intrigued to hear more - particularly if 'anonymous' 1 has direct experience. I'm afraid I hold little truck with hearsay.
Why would you hope someone would die in prison? Serious question.
Not so much 'someone' as this one, particular, deeply flawed and dangerous individual. I believe he would always be a threat to young boys. For me, it would be best if he saw out the last of his days where he could present no threat to anyone. Given he's in his late 60s now, that must be a possibility even if he serves only half his sentence.
I share some of your memories of Pearce. Yes, vanity is a good word: a terrible, theatrical arrogance, stage managing bits of business in the Mass. I also recall that my brothers, at the school and in the Abbey choir, disliked him greatly. Hmm, perhaps now we know why. It seems from the Charity Commissions report that even when he was under investigation by the police he continued to abuse... did he think he was immune? Was he mad? A personal note, he was indeed an OP and my father had been his careers advisor. As you said, Pearce intended to be a dentist, but on his notes my Dad had written "priest?"
Sarah? Joe & Tom's sister? Joe was a year above me - terrific musician as I remember.
Hi Mark - yes, that's me. Also Simon's sister, though he'd have been a few years older. Joe's still doing music - composing it, mainly for TV, as well as film editing, and still in Ealing. Tom's a headmaster in Oxford, I teach and train in EFL - currently Business Communications in the Arabian Gulf, which is how I found your blog.
It's been a very disquieting set of revelations about Pearce - especially that he was still abusing in 2006, several years after he had been suspended from duties and supposedly cut off from all contact with youngsters. Also, do you remember John Maestri, maths teacher? He has been jailed twice for abusing young boys, and is on the sex offenders register for life... All very bad and alarming, and I'm not sure the Abbey has dealt with the whole business very effectively.
Maybe they need a communications consultant?
Yes, that's me. Simon's sister too, though he's a couple of years older and you might not recall him.
Joe now writes music for TV and film, as well as editing films - you might have seen "Hunger" which won some prizes. I'm in the Arabian Gulf teaching English - actually Business Communications as it happens, which is how I found your interesting blog in the first place.
As for the "tip of the iceberg" comment - well, you may remember John Maestri, who has twice been jailed for sexual abuse of young boys and is on the sex offenders register now for life.
The Abbey does not seem to have handled the whole crisis very well, and have been reprimanded by the Charity Commissioners.
Perhaps they could do with a communications consultant?
...There's probably a book or a film to be made out of this one - know any enterprising film makers?
Maestri surprises me - he was my form tutor and maths teacher in the 3rd Form - I remember coming 21st (out of 23?) in maths and just getting the comment 'super chap' on my report. I liked him when others didn't and never thought - at the time - that there was anything sinister behind his kindness. Clearly I was lucky that his 'kindness' went no further.
The thing is though, at the time we all thought he had a thing for Mrs. Cummins (later Mrs. Nickerson, but then the middle school secretary). So reading about him later popping up in Oxford 'camper than a row of tents' was a bit of a shock.
Lots of hits on this blog entry recently. Does that mean that Pearce/Maestri (or both) are back in Court? I'm sure I heard something about another case relating to incidents that must have taken place when I was at the school.
Horrible, horrible business - ineptly dealt with by the school - perhaps crimionally dealt with by the Abbey and the Diocese. And they wonder why my generation has turned away from the church in droves.....
I've no doubt that the school is a bastion of good practice now, but their weak response both then and much more recently will taint them in the eyes of very many prospective parents for a very long time.
Pearce and Maestri will be back in Isleworth Crown Court on July 4 where they will each face three charges of indecent assault against a boy. The trial is scheduled to last four days.
The start of the trial has been postponed until Tuesday 5 July. The charges have been amended, Pearce and Maestri now each face one charge of sexual assault against the same boy.
Interesting: would suggest that some kind of deal has been cooked up between the lawyers. I wonder if they have agreed to plead guilty to a single charge?
I was at the school from 75-82, so it's quite likely I know (or know of) the person abused. It never occurred to me at the time, but looking back now, I remember a small number of boys being removed from the school with no warning or explanation over the years. Of course, I may be adding 2+2 to get 37 here, but I do wonder if some parents were rather more attuned to the goings on at the school than mine (or many others) were?
That said, I've noticed on other blogs the claim that a 'climate of fear' prevailed in the school at the time. As one who was there I'd have to dispute that. My fear was of not getting my Latin done on time or being shown up for my lack of knowledge in French. The rules were clear and one knew not to transgress them (or how to get round them). I wonder if this 'climate of fear' is what those who weren't there at the time want to impose after the event?
I read the news today about Fr David and Maestri being acquitted on the sex abuse charges. I was at St Ben's until '83 and knew both as teachers and form tutors. All my brothers went there too. Luckily we all escaped untouched by these deeply wicked men. My God, what a shambles this went on, and the school obviously covering up. As I found out later the then Headmaster( I wont name, but you should know) left later under some cloud and married, leaving the priesthood, perhaps unable to live with the guilt of what went on under his headmastership. Who knows.The awful thing is ( for me anyway)years later when I was getting married I asked Fr David in '98 to officiate at the wedding at The Abbey,which he did, and very charmingly. Some ex pupils do remember him quite well, not as evil or even as an awful teacher. He didnt strike me as cruel or vindictive but was not someone you'd warm to as a young boy; pure luck on my part and my brothers we were not affected. I heard from a good friend of mine at St Ben's same time as me, there was a gay very senior music teacher (who I won't name)who was in close cahoots with Fr David in that era (late 70's - 80's), who often both discussed young boys and who they both 'fancied'. My friend heard this 1st hand because the music teacher would discuss this with him ( it was when he was in 6th form.)That same senior music teacher went on to open and become Head of his own private boys school somewhere!
Not heard about the music teacher - but there agan I wasn't musical. Also, haven't read anything about the acquittal. Where has it been reported?
As an OP (1961) it saddens me immensely to read of the abuse of pupils by a priest and a teacher at the school; I find it extremely difficult to believe and understand it. I was always very happy at the school, and am grateful for the excellent education it gave me - in hindsight I perhaps should have taken greater advantage of it! Although some two years above me, David Pearce was a contemporary, and always seemed popular among his peers. I will remeber him and the Community in my prayers.
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