US Catholic Diocese agrees to pay $87.5m to people sexually abused by church

The Catholic Diocese in New Jersey, United States of America has agreed to pay $87.5m (£67.04m) to hundreds of people sexually abused by the church.

In a first, the deal also paves the way for lawsuits against insurances firms that protect dioceses against charges of negligence.

It is one of the largest settlements involving the Catholic Church in the US, which has been accused of covering up decades of misdeeds. The diocese has apologized.

The settlement funds will be distributed from a trust over the span of four years to a number of victims of abuse, the diocese said.

The diocese and attorneys for the victims have agreed to the settlement, but it must be still be approved by a judge because the diocese filed for bankruptcy in 2020 amid the Covid-19 pandemic and abuse disputes.

However, it was “pleased that the mediation process has led to a settlement,” Bishop Dennis J Sullivan said.

“I pledge my continuing commitment to ensure that this terrible chapter in the history of the Diocese of Camden, New Jersey never happens again,” he added.