Thomas Roberts was a reporter and former anchor for such syndicated shows as, The Insider and Entertainment Tonight. Before working in entertainment journalism, he anchored CNN Headline News until May 2007. In 2007, he discussed being sexually abused by a Catholic priest at age 14 on Anderson Cooper 360.
Fast Facts:
Sexual AbuseCNN.com: [http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/03/09/roberts.btsc/index.html V anchor: I was sexually abused by Catholic priest] (March 12, 2007)
At the age of 14 Thomas Roberts was sexually abused by Father Jeff Toohey in the mid-1980s. Toohey was sentenced to eighteen months in prison in 2006 after a trail was brought forth by Roberts. Toohey was a priest at a private all-boys Catholic school in Baltimore, Maryland.
Michael Goles, another student at the school where Toohey taught, came forward with allegation of abuse by Toohey, however, his testimony was not believed and the case was thrown out by the court. During the Goles trail, Roberts remained quite, but realized that if he were to come forward as well, a jury would be more likely to convict Toohey.
Not until 20 years after the abuse had occurred did Roberts seek justice. Toohey was convicted and charged with 10 criminal counts of child sexual abuse. He was sentenced to five years in jail (the judge suspended all but 18 months of the sentence), and only served 10 months, getting released early to serve the remaining eight months in home detention.
