A MAN who was abused by a priest more than 40 years ago has said that victims of child abuse should not have to take their torment to the grave.

Luke Holland, 54, from Chalfont St Peter, has waived his legal right to remain anonymous as a victim of sexual abuse, in the hope that he may be able to help other people.

He told the Free Press it is never too late for victims to come forward.

Mr Holland was abused by Father John Coghlan, from Sacred Heart Church in Ruislip Manor, more than 40 years ago.

Coghlan is now serving 18 months in prison after being found guilty of the abuse, which started when Mr Holland was just ten years old.

Coghlan was convicted of five counts of indecency with a child between 1961 and 1966, and sentenced to 18 months jail.

Mr Holland said: "I felt euphoria after he was convicted. It won't give me back my life, but it is starting to help me."

He added: "I want to say to any other victims of child abuse, it doesn't matter how long ago it was, it is never too late. Why should you have to go to your grave with this.

"I am entitled to have those last years to live in peace, as much as I can."

Mr Holland, who had been a choir boy and an altar boy, said he remembers the abuse happening in Coghlan's office, and away on Scout camp.

He said: "I had never told anyone about what happened to me until almost two years ago.

"If ever it came into my head and I couldn't get rid of it, then I would block it out in other ways. I would get out of my head. I took drugs, drank, anything to make me forget about it."

Mr Holland "snapped" when his mother was taken seriously ill and asked to see a priest.

Mr Holland said: "I just went mad, I broke down, I couldn't bear the thought of a priest coming to see my mum. It just triggered something."

His sister tried to calm him down at the hospital, and eventually he broke down and told her all about his abuse.

He said: "The police helped me, and made me realise I had done nothing wrong, but the guilt was almost too much. I kept thinking, what if I had told someone before, I may have stopped it happening to another kid. But the police made me realise that there was nothing I could have done. I was just a kid myself."

His lawyer, Peter Garsden, of Abney Garsden McDonald Solicitors, said: "These incidents happened so long ago that we are anxious to contact anybody who remembers Father Coghlan. We are trying to piece together what happened, and any information will be useful to us."

Any information should be sent to Paul Durkin at Abney Garsden McDonald, 37 Station Road, Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire. 0161 482 8822, or email: pauld@abneys.co.uk