The Evening Standard
May 19 2004
Paedophile priest worked in Manawatu
by Alister Browne
Paedophile priest
Alan Woodcock seduced teenage boys at Highden, near Awahuri, in rural Manawatu, when it was a training centre
for young priests, court documents show.
The 56 year old pleaded guilty on Monday to 21 charges relating to the sexual abuse
of 11 boys between 1978 and 1987 during a teaching career that spanned
The documents show that Woodcock first turned up at Highden
in 1983, and during school holidays that year -- probably April-May -- he
phoned a 16-year-old boy at his home in
The boy, who knew Woodcock, agreed, and when he turned up Woodcock showed him
around and where he would be sleeping.
On the night of the boy's stay Woodcock entered his bedroom. When the youth
realised he was there, he pulled the sheets up to his chin and denied Woodcock
access to him.
He told Woodcock if he didn't leave he could yell out, and Woodcock left the
room.
Later that year Woodcock got talking to a 17 year old during a Sunday church
service at Highden.
He invited him to a nearby hotel where they drank three or four pints of beer
over a period of three to four hours.
They then drove back to Highden, where Woodcock
suggested he come in for a cup of tea or coffee.
Woodcock fondled the youth and indecently assaulted him in the carpark.
The youth, who lived in the Palmerston North area, had his own car and drove
home after turning down Woodcock's invitation to go his room.
Next year, Woodcock invited a 14 year old he had earlier befriended and his
By night Woodcock entered the boy's room. The boy said he thought he heard
someone and Woodcock left.
But about an hour later he returned and indecently assaulted the boy in his
bed.
Also in 1984 Woodcock met up with a 19 year old who had dropped out of the
priesthood after attending a seminary at Taradale.
After a phone call, they met at Highden, where they
had a "weird" conversation.
They then went to Woodcock's room, where Woodcock embraced him and they fell
backwards together onto the bed.
They were interrupted by a knock on the door from someone who said Woodcock was
wanted elsewhere.
After the youth left, Woodcock phoned him three or four times, inviting him to
return, but his advances were spurned by the youth.
Woodcock admitted charges of indecent assault, indecent assault on a male and
committing an indecent act on a person at Highden,
one of which was a representative charge, meaning it encompassed other acts on
which charges were not brought.
When he appeared in Upper Hutt District Court on Monday he was remanded in
custody to appear in Wellington District Court on June 25 for sentencing.