Parents to Be Told Results of Pomeroy Priest Investigation This Week

Mid-Ulster Mail
April 20, 2012

http://www.midulstermail.co.uk/news/local/parents-to-be-told-results-of-pomeroy-priest-investigation-this-week-1-3758829

THE result of an investigation into how indecent images were inadvertently displayed by a Pomeroy priest at a First Holy Communion meeting will be revealed to parents this week.

The MAIL understands that Armagh Diocese is set to speak to parents this Friday about the scandal which happened after Father Martin McVeigh inserted a USB device into a computer during the meeting at St Mary’s Primary School.

It follows escalating calls for the cleric’s suspension from shocked parents who witnessed a reported 16 obscene images of men flash up on the projector screen last month.

A short statement was read to massgoers on Sunday at the Church of Assumption in the village stating the investigation would be released “presently”.

News of the Churches decision to meet parents comes just weeks before a First Holy Communion service for P4 children at the school.

Following the scandal, which grabbed headlines all over the world, parents from the village told the MAIL that they would not allow their child to take part in the Sacrament if the priest was present.

There were also fears the investigation into the incident would be hampered after the laptop was stolen in a break-in on the church grounds last week. The break-in was reported shortly after 9.15am on Monday, April 9th. CCTV cameras around the area were not working at the time of the burglary and the police have appealed for information.

But the priest has since claimed that investigators from the Church had already examined the contents of his computer prior to it being stolen.

Since the incident Father McVeigh has remained in his position in the parish, but has not celebrated Sunday mass.

He says that he does not know how the images came to be on the USB device, which is used by “several” members of the parish.

Around 26 parents, a number of teachers, plus an eight year-old child were present in the room when the images appeared during a PowerPoint presentation on the evening of March 27th.

According to a statement given to the MAIL on behalf of the parents, the memory stick was inserted by the priest, before being removed. He was then said to have left the room “visibly shaken and flustered” according to an earlier statement from parents.