News

Caldey Island: 6-year-old who drowned in 1977 was victim of abuse, says sister

Published

7 years ago

December 23, 2017

EXCLUSIVE by Amanda Gearing

A WOMAN whose sister drowned off Caldey Island in 1977 as a 6-year-old child says they were both sexually abused by a monk there.

Father Thaddeus Kotik, who lived at Caldey Abbey for 45 years before his death in 1992, is accused of abusing several girls in the 1970s and 1980s.

Joanna Biggs, 48, is the first of Kotik’s alleged victims to waive anonymity to speak out about her ordeal. She has revealed that is well as being victim to sexual abuse – her sister was blamed for her own death.

Reading the shocking revelations that a monk had abused several children on Caldey Island in the 1970s and 1980s broke open a kaleidoscope of traumatic memories for Joanna Biggs.

Memories of abuse by Father Thaddeus Kotik of herself and her younger sister, Theresa; memories of the last day she spent with Theresa playing on Sandtop Bay on Caldey Island; memories of a grey nun’s veil blowing in the wind and the panicked look on the nun’s face when Theresa was swept out to sea and drowned on 18 July 1977.

Joanna Biggs told her siblings about the abuse in recent years but she has now also told her grieving parents of her abuse by Fr Thaddeus and that their daughter who died was also a victim of abuse.

Joanna Biggs has been affected by the abuse herself – not being able to drink milk for decades because of the smell that reminds her of the dairy where the abuse happened.

But it is the drowning of her younger sibling Theresa that has compelled Joanna Biggs to research the facts surrounding her sister’s death and to publicly defend Theresa’s honour against what she believes to be false evidence given to the inquest.

A nun, Sister Sheila Singleton, who was caring for a group of children at the beach on Caldey Island, claimed in evidence that she had forbidden Theresa to swim and that Theresa had disobeyed her by going in the water.

“This is not true,” Joanna Biggs said. “The nun asked me to help her blow up Theresa’s armbands so I showed her how to do that.”

“[The nun] helped put Theresa’s armbands on. And then she said ‘off you go’.”

“My sister was not naughty. I was told she was found with one of her armbands on.”

Theresa’s father John Biggs strongly supports Joanna’s desire now to have the truth revealed in the hope of bringing a proper closure for the family over his daughter’s death.

John Biggs said he and his wife “never believed that Theresa wilfully disobeyed but were not there to prove it”.

Joanna Biggs said her parents had lived with the nun’s lie for more than 40 years. “It is time for my sister to be released from false blame,” she said.

“My sister was more adventurous and more assertive than me,” she said.

Even at six years old it was Theresa who made sure that they escaped further abuse by Fr Thaddeus, she said.

“My sister made a pact with me that we would never be alone with Fr Thaddeus even if he offered us sweets.”

After speaking with her elderly parents, Joanna Biggs searched the Pembrokeshire Archives to unearth the inquest file that her parents had always been too traumatised to read.

Theresa’s father attended the inquest but her mother, who had a very young baby at the time, was not able to attend.

The inquest documents show the drowning was investigated in one day and the inquest was held the following day, just two days after the drowning.

At last answers are being found. Joanna Biggs is now determined to correct the record so that her little sister can be remembered as the obedient child she was raised to be by her devout Catholic parents.

Sister Singleton did not give evidence in person but she made a statement to the court claiming that she “told Theresa she was not to go into the water as it was too cold” and that Theresa had disobeyed her direction and went swimming without permission.

Sister Singleton said she saw Theresa “going towards the water” and asked one of the boys to look after her.

“It seemed only minutes had passed when some of the boys shouted [to] me. I understood something had happened to Theresa,” Sister Singleton wrote.

But teenagers at the beach gave evidence that the nun had allowed a large group of children to swim in a force 5 to 6 gale at a beach with dangerous ocean currents, put floaties on Theresa, 6, led her to the water’s edge and asked a boy of 14 to look after her in the water.

A boy of 14, James Donnelly, gave evidence that Sister Singleton had made her way towards him with Theresa – who was wearing inflated armbands – and asked him to take the girl down to the water.

James Donnelly told the inquest that he went in the water with Theresa, leaving her playing in shallow water while he went out to deeper water.

James lost sight of Theresa, saw that she had been swept into deeper water and tried to reach her with help from another boy, John Lewis, 12, who had come to help.

John reached her and Theresa held onto him and told him “Don’t let go of me”, but he said she was pulling him under the surface and they were both swallowing water.

John said he pushed the girl’s arms away so he could get out of the water and get help.

Theresa was swept further out and was waving her arms and screaming. Another boy, Anthony Bonar, 15, swam towards her but could not reach her because the current was too strong.

By then Anthony said he could only see two orange armbands floating on the water and the girl’s arms waving in the air.

“Her head was under the water,” he said.

The coastguard was called and retrieved the girl’s body. A doctor who met the rescue boat at the slipway pronounced her dead.

The coroner accepted the nun’s evidence over that of the three boys.

Theresa’s family would like to see the inquest re-opened so that the evidence of the boys can now be accepted and so the brave efforts of the boys to save Theresa can be recognised.

Joanna Biggs has also confirmed that a group of monks was standing on the rocks praying.

“None of them gave evidence to the inquest,” she said.

In addition, the abbot of Caldey Abbey and a parish priest Father David Bottrill were on the island at the time.

“I know that the abbot rang our home and told my father that Theresa was dead,” Ms Biggs said. “My family has only just become aware that there were monks present on the beach.”

What still weighs on Joanna Biggs’ mind after 40 years is that three boys battled dangerous swell and undercurrents to try to rescue a child while adults on the beach and on the rocks did not give practical help.

“This was a heavy enough burden for these children to carry for the rest of their lives. But on top of this, there was no mention in the inquest about the actions of the adults who were present that day – except for the false statement of Sister Sheila,” she said.

“Questions need to be asked – Why were any children at all allowed to swim on such a dangerous beach that day? Why did no adult enter the water to try to assist the boys?” she said.

Joanna Biggs also questions why no adequate warning signs about dangerous tides were erected before or after her sister drowned.

“Whenever my family visits my sister’s grave on Caldey Island it distresses us to see there are still no adequate warning signs of the dangerous underwater currents at Sandtop Bay,” she said.

The Herald sought comment from Sister Singleton but the Irish religious order to which she belonged, the Congregation of the Little Sisters of the Sisters of the Assumption, has confirmed that Sister Singleton died in 2004.

Do you have any further information? Please email the journalist: Amanda Gearing.

Crime

Detective Chief Inspector describes child’s death as ‘heartbreaking’

Published

12 hours ago

November 23, 2024

Tom Sinclair

POLICE have described the death of seven-year-old Louis Linse at the hands of his mother as a “heartbreaking incident” that has deeply impacted officers and the local community.

Papaipit Linse, 43, from Haverfordwest, pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility at Swansea Crown Court earlier this week. Louis was found unresponsive in his bed on January 10 after Linse called emergency services to report his death.

Detective Chief Inspector Gary Williams, who led the investigation, reflected on the tragic events and the challenges faced by his team.

“This was a truly heartbreaking incident, involving the death of a young child at the hands of his mother,” DCI Williams said. “Officers who attended the scene were met with an incredibly difficult and emotive situation, yet they acted with professionalism and care, ensuring that a thorough investigation was conducted.”

The case has not only shocked the local community in Haverfordwest but has also brought to light the deep personal struggles and trauma faced by Linse in the years leading up to the tragedy.

***Tragic story: Edward and Papaipit Linse***

A troubled family history

Linse, originally from Chiang Mai, Thailand, is the estranged wife of 51-year-old Edward Linse, a former businessman now detained in a psychiatric facility. Their marriage was marked by years of domestic violence, financial hardship, and failed business ventures.

In 2017, Edward assaulted his wife at their £1.2m Cheshire home during an argument about visa issues. The attack, carried out with a children’s book as a weapon, highlighted the volatile nature of their relationship. His lawyer, Peter Malone, told the court that Edward struggled to control his emotions, which he traced back to difficulties experienced during his boarding school years.

***The couple said that in 2016 they had a lot of fun and good memories with this property – A café and pretend beach in Chiang Mai, Thailand***

The violence escalated over the years, with Edward eventually convicted of a brutal assault on his own parents. Following his incarceration in a psychiatric facility, Linse was left to care for their two children alone.

The breakdown of their marriage was compounded by financial woes. After the failure of a café venture in Chiang Mai, the couple relocated to the UK. In 2022, their landscaping business, Alderley Landscapes, ceased trading, leaving Linse to move to Haverfordwest with her children in search of a fresh start.

***Edward Linse, estranged husband of Papapait Linse***

Life in Haverfordwest

Neighbours in Upper Market Street described Linse as a quiet, reserved figure who homeschooled her two children. Despite her struggles, those close to the family said Louis appeared well-cared-for, with one neighbour, Dr Sean Phelan, expressing disbelief at the tragedy.

“I never thought something like this could happen,” Dr Phelan said. “The children were polite and seemed happy. It’s shocking to think of what must have been going on behind closed doors.”

Forensic teams have been working at the scene since the incident, piecing together the circumstances surrounding Louis’ death. Floral tributes have been placed outside the property as the community mourns the young boy’s loss.

Police dedication

DCI Williams praised the dedication of the officers involved in the investigation, acknowledging the emotional toll such cases can have on emergency responders.

“Our team has worked tirelessly since January to uncover the circumstances of Louis’ death and to ensure justice was brought for him,” he said. “While no result in court can undo this loss, we hope it offers some measure of closure to those who knew and loved Louis. Our thoughts remain with them during this devastating time.”

The case also serves as a reminder of the importance of early intervention and support for families facing domestic violence and mental health issues. Police urged anyone in similar situations to seek help from local services.

Awaiting sentencing

Linse has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced on December 13. The court is expected to consider the impact of her mental health struggles and the years of abuse she endured when determining her sentence.

As the investigation concludes, the police and community alike continue to grapple with the profound loss of a young life under such tragic circumstances.

Papaipit Linse: Admits killing her son, but denies murder

Business

Deposit Return Scheme diversion ‘illogical’ says Pembrokeshire brewery

Published

13 hours ago

November 23, 2024

Tom Sinclair

TENBY HARBOUR BREWERY and local Senedd Member Samuel Kurtz have urged the Welsh Government to reconsider its decision to withdraw from a UK-wide Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) due to its insistence on including glass.

Earlier this week, Climate Change Secretary Huw Irranca-Davies announced that the Welsh Government would no longer participate in the development of a UK-wide DRS, citing issues arising from the UK Internal Market Act 2020. This decision is believed to be influenced by the Welsh Government’s plan to include glass in its scheme—a factor that contributed to the collapse of Scotland’s DRS in 2023.

The move has been met with frustration and anger from numerous organisations, who argue that this divergence will increase costs for Welsh producers and consumers.

Commenting on the matter, Samuel Kurtz said: “This decision is deeply frustrating, and to diverge from a UK-wide scheme shows that it is not one made with the best interests of Welsh consumers and producers at its core.

“The UK market is so interlinked that any decision which places Welsh businesses at a competitive disadvantage should not proceed. These calls from a range of industry and business representatives have been ignored by the Welsh Government.

“For the sake of our businesses and consumers, I urge the Welsh Government to reconsider its decision, align itself with the UK-wide scheme, and provide proper support to Welsh businesses.”

Industries, especially the micro-brewery sector, would be especially hit hard in Wales by the Welsh Governments choice.

Speaking following this announcement, Richard Johnson, Head Brewer at Tenby Harbour Brewery said:

“The brewing industry has had to tread a path through covid lockdowns, energy price increases, a cost of living crisis and rising wage and national insurance bills, making it increasingly difficult for brewers get good returns and re-invest in their businesses.

“Wales is a recycling nation, so a blunt ‘one size fits all’ approach creates additional logistical and financial burdens on the smallest producers, when the very largest producers are generating the majority of the recycling demand.

“It also seems illogical to diverge away from a UK wide scheme which will put Welsh brewers and drinks producers at a disadvantage.

“The UK and Wales has a proud brewing heritage, but adding in measures such as DRS to small brewers means that their time and money are directed to these activities, instead of using their time for innovation and R&D, of which the UK brewing scene is known and revered for.”

Business

Bluestone crowned ‘Best Small Company for UK Parks and Lodge Holidays’

Published

13 hours ago

November 23, 2024

Tom Sinclair

BLUESTONE is celebrating a major win after being named the Best Small Company for UK Parks and Lodges Holidays at the prestigious British Travel Awards 2024.

The announcement was made at the prestigious awards ceremony this week, marking yet another significant achievement for the popular West Wales destination.

This award recognises Bluestone’s commitment to providing exceptional family holiday experiences at its 500-acre resort in the stunning Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

“We are absolutely thrilled to receive this award,” said Bethan Rees, Head of Marketing at Bluestone. “It’s a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team, who create magical and memorable experiences for families all year round. We are incredibly grateful to every single one of our guests who voted for us and who choose to visit us year on year.

“When you look at the array of other finalists, the award demonstrates why we’re so proud of winning it. This is due to our continued investment, team, and commitment to environmentally sustainable tourism.”

This award builds on Bluestone’s impressive track record. It has consistently received high praise for its family-friendly facilities, commitment to sustainability, and dedication to providing outstanding customer service. Earlier this year, Bluestone was again recognised by Which? as one of the UK’s top holiday destinations and the best rated in Wales.

The British Travel Awards are the largest consumer-voted awards programme in the UK. Winning this award highlights Bluestone’s position as a leader in the family holiday market and reinforces its reputation as a top choice for unforgettable family getaways.

Bluestone, which employs over 800 people and is one of the largest employers in West Wales, is also committed to investing in its people and local community. It provides extensive training and development through its People Services team and the Bluestone Academy. In addition, it supports a wide range of local projects and initiatives through the Bluestone Foundation.