A "cool monk" abused a pupil at a top Catholic boarding school after requesting he meet him “after mass”, a court heard. Father James Callaghan, a housemaster at £43,000-a-year Ampleforth College,  used a room set aside for the homeless to use to instead abuse the teenage boy who was left in “survival mode” for the next 25 years, it is alleged.

Father Callaghan, 71, denies subjecting the boy to a prolonged ordeal while he was studying at the independent school. He also denies a further sexual assault on another pupil, claiming their encounter had been consensual after the boy turned 16. Callaghan was known among pupils at the Catholic school as a “cool monk” who would invite pupils for drinks, meals and on shopping trips. Teesside Crown Court heard that after committing a series of sexual assaults at the North Yorkshire school, Callaghan gifted one of his victims a silver cigarette box to mark the boy's birthday.

The first pupil suffered 12 sexual assaults during three years at the prestigious college during the 1990s when he was aged between 14 and 18, it is alleged.

He was targeted by Callaghan after mass and was handed a key to a room for the homeless where he would be subjected to further degrading sexual assaults.

Mark McKone, KC, prosecuting, told jurors the victim told police he was 15 when kissing and close hugging began while he was alone with Callaghan.

He said: “The prosecution say that, whatever the victim's age this was not true consent, this was not consent given freely by someone who had a real choice.

“The complainant said that he had been in survival mode for 25 years and that with his adult eyes felt: ‘Oh my god. That wasn’t right’.”

The victim told police: “I was in a really bad place. I was going through hell at school, I was 200 miles plus from my nearest family. I hated the sexual bit of it. Where possible I would just avoid it, I’d try and ignore his cues.”

It was over 30 years later, in December 2022, that Callaghan's alleged offending came to light when his victim confided in his sister and then spoke to police.

Mr McKone said: “The defendant took him shopping with him. The defendant took him for a pub lunch. Outings in the defendant’s car became frequent.

“The complainant served at mass on a Saturday evening. After mass, the defendant would ask him to meet him in different places, including in guest rooms.

“The defendant used sexual language to him.”

The victim said there were ‘lots of hugs, lots of touching. I was made to feel very special," but he added: “I remember feelings of 'I don't really want to be held like this.”

The jury was told how Callaghan had a key cut for a room at the school for homeless people where they would meet.

The alleged victim told police: “He’d take on the role of a boy I had a crush on, there’d be kissing, hugging. I would be sat on top of him simulating sex.

“We were both dressed but he was sexually aroused and that carried on until I left. I remember being less and less keen on going to see James but I’d be guilt tripped into it.”

Callaghan is accused of a further sexual assault on another pupil in the 2000s.

Mr McKone told jurors the second complainant said Callaghan was a “cool monk, who was popular.”

He added: “The pupil was invited by the defendant for a glass of wine but he declined.”

Later, the boy asked the defendant if he could interview him for a project. After the interview the pupil was walking towards the door when Callaghan stopped him and “tightly groped” him, jurors heard.

The boy said: “I froze, I was kind of shocked.”

Mr McKone said Callaghan made no comment when interviewed about the first victim.

He said the defendant's case is that he had sexual activity with the boy after he was aged 16 and with his consent.

Callaghan said he remembered the second boy and thought he was “a bit odd.”

The defendant said that he almost certainly would have hugged the boy as “his nature was to give someone a hug,” but he could not remember hugging him.

Callaghan, from Moortown, Leeds, denies 13 charges of sexual assault.

The trial continues.