Second priest in sexual abuse inquiry

A SECOND Scottish priest is undergoing treatment in England after allegations of sexual abuse, it emerged last night.

The priest, Father John Archibald, was removed from his parish near Glasgow 18 months ago, after allegations of abusing boys, and he is now at a treatment unit for priests in difficulties at Stroud, Gloucestershire.

The affair, the second of its type disclosed in Scotland in the past five days, highlights the growing pressure on the church over its reluctance to call in the police in such cases. Another Scottish priest, Father Desmond Lynagh, is also staying at the unit. Father Lynagh was alleged, by a TV programme last Tuesday, to have abused a youngster in his care while he was a teacher at Blair's College in Aberdeen in the mid-Seventies.

The church confirmed later that it had paid out £42,000 in compensation to the man, now an adult, but it denied attempting to cover up the matter.

Yesterday the Roman Catholic church in Scotland defended its decision not to call in the police in the case of Father Archibald who was removed from St Paul's Church in Milton of Campsie, near Glasgow, after children made allegations to their parents.

Father Tom Connolly, spokesman for the Catholic Church in Scotland, said yesterday that the parents had not wished the police, or anyone else, to be involved: "It was the parents - not the church - who said they did not want to go any further with this,"he said.