Horowitz Law has filed a lawsuit in Sarasota County on behalf of an adult female client alleging that she was sexually assaulted in April 2018 by Diocese of Venice priest Nicholas McLoughlin in the confessional at Our Lady of Grace in Avon Park, Florida. McLoughlin, known to parishioners as "Father Nick", was the Pastor at Our Lady of Grace at the time of the alleged incident.
According to the Complaint, at the start of confession, Father McLoughlin abruptly stood up, approached the parishioner and reached out to touch her. As he reached out to touch her, she thought that Father McLoughlin was going to make the sign of the cross on her forehead. Much to her surprise and dismay, Father McLoughlin proceeded to forcefully grope L.B.'s right breast and aggressively kiss her. She yelled at Father McLoughlin to stop and she struggled to break away from his power grip.
This is not the first time that Father Nicholas McLoughlin has been accused of sexual misconduct. In November 2018, the Diocese of Venice announced that McLoughlin was being placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into a complaint alleging that he molested a child at Corpus Christi Parish in Temple Terrace, Florida in the 1970's. At that time, McLoughlin would have been under the supervision of the Diocese of St. Petersburg.
Additionally, in 1997, McLoughlin was named as a co-defendant in a lawsuit, in which the Catholic Diocese of Venice agreed to pay $500,000 to settle a suit with a former Port Charlotte altar boy who was molested by Nicholas McLoughlin's brother, Ed McLoughlin, then assistant pastor at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church where Nicholas McLoughlin was pastor at the time. The choir director was also accused of molestation.
Nicholas McLoughlin served as pastor of Corpus Christi Parish, Temple Terrace from 1973 to 1982. He previously served as associate pastor of St. John Vianney, St. Pete Beach and pastor of Bishop Barry and Notre Dame High Schools in St. Petersburg from June 1972 to August 1973. He was appointed Pastor of Our Lady of Grace in March 2007.
Horowitz Law files civil lawsuits representing children and adults who were victims of sexual abuse by priests, ministers, rabbis, deacons, nuns, or other clergy of any faith. If you or someone you know was a victim of sexual abuse or sexual assault at a church or other religious organization, please contact our law firm at 888-283-9922 or send a confidential email to adam@adamhorowitzlaw.com