Former teenage care assistant sues trustees of nursing home over sexual assault by Portadown man
A former teenage care assistant is taking legal action over alleged failures to protect her from a sexual assault by her Brethren boss at a nursing home.
The woman, who cannot be named, claims the Board of Trustees of Faith House are liable in connection with the historic attack carried out by Morgan Johnson.
A writ has been lodged at the High Court in Belfast seeking damages for alleged negligence in the facility’s duty of care and how it dealt with the woman’s complaint.
Her solicitor, Brian Archer, said: “This is about my client obtaining justice.”
In 2024, Johnson, aged 85, received a four-month prison sentence following his conviction for indecent assault.
The lifelong Brethren, from Old Lurgan Road in Portadown, faced prosecution over an incident in the late 1980s.
Previous courts heard he targeted the victim, who was then aged 17, after she started working as a carer at Faith House in the Finaghy area of south Belfast.
Johnson, who was a manager in the home at the time, was accused of grabbing her as she walked past while he played hymns on an organ.
He groped the complainant and forced his tongue down her throat, she stated in evidence.
The woman also claimed that Johnson threatened to “destroy her life” for rejecting his advances.
More than 30 years later the issue resurfaced at a meeting allegedly arranged to clear Johnson’s name.
He denied any wrongdoing, but was also said to have written a letter of apology to the woman.
Subsequently diagnosed as suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, she has now commenced a separate civil lawsuit.
The woman alleges the Board of Trustees of Faith House are vicariously liable for Johnson’s abusive treatment of her.
Damages are being sought for assault and battery, negligence, emotional suffering, false imprisonment and a breach of statutory duty.
Papers lodged in the case contend failures to have a safe system of work in place and to protect the woman from harm.
Mr Archer added: “She has dealt with the perpetrator, this action is now about what happened after she told others in authority.”