Chief Sanghanayaka Thera of Great Britain and Chief Incumbent of the Thames Buddhist Vihara and Parivenadhipathi of the Vidyaravinda Pirivena, Pahalagama, Gampaha and Chief Lekhadhikari of the Sri Kalyani Samagi Dharma Maha Sangha Sabha has been convicted of four counts of indecent assault on an underage person and sentenced to seven years in prison, a judge ruled Friday June 1, 2012. He has also been banned from working with children for life and his name is added to the sex offenders register.

Monk Pahalagama Somaratana, 65, of Dulverton Road, Croydon was initially convicted at Isleworth Crown Court on May 1, 2012 of four counts of indecent assault on a female under 16 years between January 1, 1977 and December 31,1978 at an address in Chiswick.

He was found not guilty of the rape of a female under 16 years between January 1,1977 and December 31,1978 at an address in Chiswick and not guilty of indecent assault on a female under 14 years between January 1,1985 and December 31, 1986 at an address in Croydon.

In May 2010 Child Abuse Investigation Command officers began an investigation into historical allegations of indecent assault and rape. On Tuesday, September 14, 2010 the 64-year-old monk was arrested on suspicion of what was termed “a historical” charge of indecent assault and rape. He was questioned at Heathrow police station and later bailed pending further enquiries

He was subsequently charged on September 12, 2011 and further charged on November 11, 2011. On Friday, September 23, Pahalagama Somaratana,Chief Incumbent of the Thames Buddhist Vihara, of Dulverton Road, Croydon appeared on bail at Feltham Magistrate Court charged with rape of a female under 16 years between January 1, 1977 and December 31, 1978 at an address in Chiswick and indecent assault on a female under 16 years between January 1, 1977 and December 31, 1978 at an address in Chiswick. Pahalagama Somaratana, was charged with another eight counts of sexual abuse on Friday, November 11, the London Metropolitan Police said.

According to the Metropolitan Police these eight indecent assaults on a female under 14 years took place between January 1,1985 and December 31,1986 at an address in Croydon. The 65-year-old Pahalagama Somaratana Thero appeared on bail at Feltham Magistrate Court on Friday, December 2, and was bailed to appear at Isleworth Crown Court on December 20, 2011.

Source: Sunday Leader
By Uvindu Kurukulasuriya