Irish-born Chilean Priest Guilty of Sex Abuse

Press TV
October 16, 2014

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/10/16/382404/chilean-priest-guilty-of-sex-abuse/

[with video]

A Chilean court has found an Irish-born Catholic priest guilty of sexually abusing a child in his care at a religious school in the capital Santiago.

John O’Reilly, who migrated to Chile from Ireland in 1985, was found guiltily of sexually abusing a pre-teen girl between 2007 and 2009 at the Colegio Cumbres private Catholic school.

"The tribunal has established beyond all reasonable doubt that... O'Reilly resolved to carry out actions of a sexual nature via body contact with a school student," said Judge Maria Teresa Barrientos on Wednesday.

The priest, who has denied the charges, is to face sentencing next month. Prosecutors are seeking a jail term of 10 years.

In September, a Canadian court found a defrocked Roman Catholic priest guiltily of 24 of over 70 counts of sex abuse charges against him.

Eric Dejaeger, who has already pleaded guilty to eight counts of sexual assault dating back to 30 years ago, was found guilty on September 12 of raping dozens of children and a dog in the Canadian Arctic, where he formerly worked as a missionary.

Over the past few years, the Roman Catholic Church has been facing numerous scandals of child sexual abuse by priests, mainly in the United States and Europe.

In May, Pope Francis’ newly-formed sexual abuse advisory board said it was to develop “clear and effective” protocols to hold bishops and other church authorities accountable if they failed to report suspected abuse or protect children from pedophile priests.