Former senior Catholic priest admits repeated abuse of boy more than 40 years ago

A former senior Catholic priest has admitted the repeated abuse of a boy more than 40 years ago.

Thomas Millar preyed on the then-teenager who only felt able to bravely report his ordeal to first his wife in 2021 then later to the police.

Millar had by this time been given the title Monsignor due to the high esteem he was held in by the church.

But, his past came back to haunt him when the victim’s wife sent him a text confronting him about the abuse.

Millar soon confessed to his bishop: “It is true.”

The now 71-year-old – who has since resigned in shame from the Catholic Church – appeared in the dock at the High Court in Glasgow on Wednesday.

He pleaded guilty to the repeated indecent assault of the victim between 1981 and 1984.

Millar, of Hamilton, Lanarkshire, had been on bail, but was remanded in custody by judge Lady Hood.

He will be sentenced next month.

Millar had been parish priest at different chapels in Lanarkshire at the time of the attacks.

He first struck when the boy was in his mId-teens at a sports centre in Baillieston, Glasgow.

He molested the victim after he had finished a game of badminton.

Prosecutor Michael Macintosh said: “He was shocked and did not know how to react.

“He did not disclose what had happened, but knew that it had been wrong.”

Millar pounced while the boy had been sleeping at the priest’s parish house.

A further five or six attacks occurred also on church property.

Millar lured the boy having told the teenager’s mum that he “needed assistance”.

The court heard more abuse took place in Millar’s car including near Strathclyde Park.

There was another incident after the boy got into trouble for drinking at a school disco.

His mum took him to Millar in the hope he could “offer him some guidance”.

Instead, the priest went on to molest the youngster again.

Mr Macintosh told the court: “The (victim) did not want any of these incidences of sexual contact to happen, but that he did not know how to tell him to stop.”

After Millar moved church, the abuse escalated to the extent it felt like the “norm” for the teenager.

The advocate depute: “He reports that he felt afraid that his parents would be ashamed of him if they were to know what was happening.”

The final attack occurred in Millar’s private living room.

He then drove the distressed boy home. The victim told Millar if he contacted him again he would report what happened.

Mr Macintosh then explained: “He told nobody for several decades, first disclosing to his wife in October 2021.

“This prompted her to send a text message to Millar challenging him about the abuse.

“Millar contacted his bishop (that month) and advised him that he had ‘bad news’.

“He told the bishop about the text message and he stated: ‘It’s true’.”

The victim first contacted the Catholic Church, but did not go to the police until late 2023.

Millar was arrested in February 2024.

Sarah Livingstone, defending, said Millar had latterly held a “senior role” in Birmingham, but had since resigned.

The advocate: “He accepts his culpability and the effect that it had on the victim.

“There are details which he cannot remember – whether that is a coping mechanism or the passage of time – but he is prepared to accept the account given by the victim.

“Without his admission, there would be no case and that is an example of the remorse he has displayed.”

Millar was put on the sex offender’s list meantime.