"I Was Abused on the UK 'Paedo Island' Where 20 Children Were Groomed – My Nightmare Began When I Was Snatched on My Way Home from School"

REBECCA Philippart should have had an idyllic childhood living on a picturesque island full of bluebell woods and perfect beaches – but instead she became one of at least 20 children who were preyed upon.

Caldey – a tiny crag of land popular with holidaymakers – has become known as Britain’s “paedo island” since sex abuse linked to the isle’s monastery was uncovered. And now Rebecca – who still suffers night terrors from what she endured – is demanding answers.

Rebecca Philippart suffered horrific sexual abuse on the island as a child Father Thaddeus Kotik never faced criminal charges for his alleged abuse of childrenCredit: Supplied The island’s monastery, where monks continue to liveCredit: Getty

Rebecca was one of the children allegedly groomed and abused by twisted monk Father Thaddeus Kotik.

Kotik spent at least three decades on the 1.5 square mile island – and he is accused of abusing multiple boys and girls.

Complaints were made against the monk, but he went to his grave having never faced justice.

Reliving the horrors she faced there, Rebecca told The Sun he would even hide behind trees waiting for children after they finished school.

He would then apparently isolate the stragglers and lead his victims away by the hand into a secret room near the old priory.

would lock the door and distract them with sweets and other gifts while he sexually abused them.

Kotik was also said to have used animals – including a tortoise – to entice the children.

At least 20 victims were identified by the 2024 Caldey Abbey Review, which concluded Kotik would prey on both “girls and boys” and that complaints were not dealt with in a “failure of leadership”.

It concluded there were “missed opportunities” and he was allowed to “offend over four decades in plain sight of some of the island community”.

One witness in the 73-page review described him as “creepy” and “childlike”, and victims gave agonising descriptions of the abuse they suffered at his hands.

Rebecca fears, however, that there may be many, many more survivors – and she wants the monastery – still a popular tourist attraction, closed down.

“It’s always been very much a paedophile island,” she told The Sun.

“Sometimes I do have night terrors, mostly of religious figures.”

Rebecca lived on , off the coast of Tenby, , from birth until she was five-and-a-half.

However, she says she can remember the abuse she suffered clearly.

The “holy island” is known for its 1,500-year-old of monasticism and continues to be inhabited by a working community of monks, who also produce chocolate, perfume and shortbread.

Its medieval priory, lighthouse and picture postcard village still attract hordes of tourists every year, including during the recent Easter .

Caldey currently only has a few dozen permanent residents, and welcomes up to 55,000 day trippers every year.

But its past can’t be forgotten, and Rebecca, now 44, feels justice has never truly been served.

She told The Sun: “It’s a beautiful island, but obviously there’s that darkness – I remember the abuse very clearly… it never leaves you, and I believe it’s still unsafe now.”

Father Thaddeus Kotik acted in ‘plain sight’ Rebecca says she was snatched multiple times as she walked home from schoolCredit: Supplied Kotik with Rebecca as a baby at ChristmasCredit: Supplied

from 1947 until his death in 1992, Polish national Kotik, however, never faced any criminal charges.

Rebecca’s dad had got a job managing the dairy in 1980, moving with his wife and eldest daughter to live in one of a handful of cottages – the population standing at around 40, including the monks.

A couple of years later, Rebecca was born, and she recalls rarely leaving the island during her formative years – except for holidays to to visit nuns linked to Caldey.

Some of her earliest memories are of trying to avoid Kotik, who would roam the island freely.

‘I’d try to wiggle away, but it was no use’

Rebecca said he would mostly target young girls, explaining: “Father Thaddeus was so devious, he would grab me as I was walking home from school – he’d be hiding behind a tree and grab me and take me away.

“A lot of the abuse took place in a room near the old priory by the farm.

“Father Thaddeus used to lock the door… sometimes you’d try to wriggle free, but it was no use.”

Rebecca remembered his chest of sweets in the room he called his “office”, and said victims were also lured with other gifts, including kittens and tortoises.

“We were very young, but we knew something wasn’t right – but as a child, you sort of forgave any misgivings,” she said.

Rebecca says she recalled hordes of child visitors to the island from the mainland, including many who were disabled, and brought over as part of a charitable scheme, and fell victim to Kotik.

She said other people, some on pilgrimages, would integrate themselves with the roughly 12 families living permanently on the island.

One adult visitor oddly insisted on taking baths with Rebecca, she claims.

Asked if she remembers how Kotik’s abuse of her began, Rebecca said: “I don’t know about the first time, but the pattern would be the same – I would be sitting on his lap, and he’d abuse me.”

On other occasions, she said it was more spontaneous and disturbingly in the presence of others.

Some other victims she’s spoken to say they’ve forgotten or blocked out certain memories.

But she explained: “I can remember it very clearly, very vividly. I don’t know why.

“It’s almost like I’m meant to remember to tell the story.

“I don’t know why, but I just knew it was wrong, I knew it was abuse, and you don’t do that to children.”

Caldey Island sits just two miles south of Tenby in PembrokeshireCredit: Getty Father Kotik arrived in 1947 and died there in 1992 The island’s old abbey, where monks continue to hold services

In the late 1980s, Rebecca’s parents were separating, and she, her mum and two sisters moved off the island to live in , while her dad remained on the island another year.

She struggled to fit in with other children at school, describing herself as “very much a loner”, later realising it was a symptom of the abuse.

Instead, she befriended staff and recalls how one day, aged seven, she found herself telling two dinner ladies about what Kotik had done to her.

“We were outside during breaktime… I just blurted out, there was this monk on the island, I said he used to give me sweets and put his hands in my knickers,” she explained.

“They were absolutely horrified, and rightly so.”

However, just a couple of years later Kotik had died and never faced any charges.

Rebecca says she feels some pride in having spoken out about him when she did.

She said: “I’ve been told that’s very rare, victims, when you’re a child, you bury it, you do not speak out.

“I don’t know, maybe it was a guardian angel.”

I can remember it very clearly, very vividly. I don’t know why… It’s almost like I’m meant to remember to tell the story

Rebecca Philipart

Caldy Abbey’s current abbot Father Jan Rossey commissioned independent safeguarding consultant Jan Pickles OBE to oversee a review into abuse there after several victims came forward.

Published in 2024, it focused largely on accusations against Kotik, and heard testimony from 20 victims.

The accounts collected by Ms Pickles suggest Kotik was a “serial and prolific abuser of children”, often in “plain sight” of others on the island.

The report states there were multiple other occasions where accusations of child sexual abuse were not appropriately logged or reported to the authorities.

The review also revealed that a number of sex offenders had spent time on Caldey, including Paul Ashton, who lived there for years in the 2000s under an alias while on the run from police.

The report recommended that monks on the island agree to a “no touch” policy, be obliged to report any accidental physical contact, and not even be allowed to pose with visitors for photos.

In response, Caldey Abbey apologised for the suffering caused.

Father Rossey apologised for a “closed culture of secrecy and cover-up”.

“It is clear opportunities were missed to stop the abuse of children,” he said at the time.

“It is particularly heartbreaking to hear children spoke up to adults and no action was taken.”

After the review, The Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency also probed the island – publishing an aduit in December 2025.

It concluded Caldey is acting to improve safeguarding on the island – but also said they welcome any input from victims.

Rebecca believes the only way to be sure no abuse happens in the future is to close the monastery completely.

“I think nature should reclaim it – a place where people go to see the beauty of the island itself,” she said. “Get rid of the monastery itself.”

Rebecca, who met her husband when she was 18, has never been able to work as a result of the abuse she suffered.

She added: “I believe there’s a higher being protecting me. I believe this is my calling, my life to get justice for Caldey and get the place shut down.”

Father Rossey told The Sun: “All recommendations made to Caldey have been implemented.

“Safeguarding arrangements on the Island have since been significantly strengthened, including the introduction of improved governance, independent oversight, professional safeguarding leadership, and
robust systems for reporting and recording concerns.”

Referring to Rebecca’s claims, he said: “It is not accurate to describe Caldey Island as ‘unsafe’.”

He said all monks, as well as monastery staff, volunteers and residents “hold enhanced DBS checks”.

The abbot added: “We continue to work closely with local authority safeguarding services, statutory agencies and regulators, and we welcome ongoing external scrutiny.

“Caldey Island remains committed to maintaining the highest possible safeguarding standards, learning from the past, and ensuring that safeguarding is embedded across all aspects of life on the Island.”

The Sun has also approached Caldey Island Estate Company Ltd for comment.