Priest 'a coward and a liar' over student affair
Pastor Dale Morgan
Priest 'a coward and a liar' over student affair*
Last Updated: 1:22am BST 06/04/2007
The Catholic priest who admitted having a sexual relationship with
Angelika Kluk was accused yesterday of being a "despicable human being
and a coward" over claims about the affair.
Fr Gerry Nugent, 63, was also labelled a liar as he was grilled about
his relationship with the Polish student. Her body was later found under
the floor of his chapel.
The priest, who recently resigned from his post at Glasgow's St
Patrick's Church, was further accused of knowing where her body was when
police were investigating the 23-year-old's disappearance.
He was giving evidence for a fourth day at the trial of 60-year-old
Peter Tobin, who is accused of raping and murdering Miss Kluk and hiding
her body at St Patrick's Church last September.
The High Court in Edinburgh previously heard the priest confess his
"shame" over the affair with Miss Kluk, referred to as "Angela".
Jurors heard the pair were sexually intimate on three or four occasions
in 2005. Under questioning by defence counsel Donald Findlay, QC, Fr
Nugent agreed it was a "mutual thing".
Mr Findlay said: "If anyone sought to blame a girl who could not speak
for herself, it would be a despicable act by a despicable human being
and a coward and a liar. Who am I talking about Father?"
Fr Nugent replied: "You're talking about me."
Mr Findlay read a statement the priest had given to police last year, in
which he said: "She felt more strongly about me than I did about her and
it was she who instigated everything. It was not me."
Fr Nugent agreed his statement differed from his evidence before the 15
jurors. Mr Findlay also asked the priest whether he accepted that he
told another man, in the week Miss Kluk was missing, that he "no longer
gave a damn" about her. "You no longer gave a damn about a girl who was
missing - explain that to the ladies and gentlemen of the jury," Mr
Findlay said.
Fr Nugent responded: "My only explanation is that I may have been
drinking." He has admitted being an alcoholic.
"It wouldn't be that you didn't give a damn because you knew she was
dead?" Mr Findlay said. The priest said: "I know nothing about the death
or the circumstances."
But advocate depute Dorothy Bain, prosecuting, said of Mr Findlay's
questioning: "Has he pointed to anything that would link you to the
young woman's death?" "No," said Fr Nugent.
The priest claimed on Wednesday that he had a sexual relationship in
1999 with another worshipper, church guitarist Sarah Howie. But the
court heard yesterday that she maintains he was not telling the truth.
Tobin denies rape, murder and attempting to defeat the ends of justice.
In a "special defence" he admits having consensual sex Miss Kluk.
He is accused of raping and murdering her at St Patrick's Church, or
elsewhere, between Sept 24 and Sept 29 last year and hiding her body
under the floor. A further charge, also denied by Tobin, alleges that he
tried to pervert the course of justice by giving false names.
The trial, before Lord Menzies, will continue on Tuesday.