BishopAccountability.org
 
 

Ex-derby Priest Accused of Altar Boy Sex Attacks May Face More Charges

Derby Telegraph
December 21, 2013

http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/Ex-Derby-priest-accused-altar-boy-sex-attacks/story-20349761-detail/story.html

Francis Paul Cullen

A PRIEST accused of sexually abusing three altar boys is now “likely” to be facing charges against four more alleged victims.

Francis Paul Cullen, who spent 18 years working at Christ the King Catholic Church, on the Mackworth Estate, was extradited this summer from Tenerife, where he had been living.

The 85-year-old had been detained on a European arrest warrant issued by Britain.

He appeared at Derby Crown Court yesterday, wearing a khaki-coloured T-shirt over a short-sleeved shirt and beige trousers, for a plea and case management hearing.

But the 27 offences he already faces were not put to him.

Prosecutor Sarah Knight told the court: “We are aware of four further complainants.

“There are likely to be further charges.”

A date for a new plea and case management hearing was fixed for January 31.

The alleged offences for which he has already been charged involve boys aged seven, eight and 12.

It is claimed that they happened over a 36-year-period, with the eldest one taking place 58 years ago and the most recent in 1991.

He is accused of seven indecent assaults, six charges of gross indecency and one other serious sexual offence between 1963 and 1970, when he was living in the city.

Nine of the other offences allegedly took place while he was in Nottinghamshire between 1957 and 1962.

They relate to one boy, aged between eight and 14. There are six counts of indecent assault and three of gross indecency.

The final four counts – three indecent assaults and one charge of gross indecency – allegedly happened between 1989 and 1991 and relate to a boy between 10 or 11 and 14 years old.

The location for these charges has not yet been revealed.

The offences are alleged to have happened in a variety of places, including a caravan, a hotel and Cullen’s house.

When Cullen previously appeared before magistrates, his solicitor said the offences would be “vigorously denied”.

Cullen came to Derby in 1960 as the first priest of the newly-formed Catholic parish of Christ the King, Mackworth Estate.

He was then known as Father Paul Francis Cullen.

In May 1978, he celebrated his silver anniversary as a priest.

He was transferred to St Anne’s, Buxton, where he stayed until 1987. He then moved to Nottingham.

 

 

 

 

 




.

 
 

Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.