Jury Fails to Reach Verdict in Alleged Historical Abuse Trial

The Anglo-Celt
March 3, 2017

http://www.anglocelt.ie/news/roundup/articles/2017/03/03/4136016-jury-fails-to-reach-verdict-in-alleged-historical-abuse-trial/

A jury has failed to reach a majority verdict in the case of a priest from the Diocese of Kilmore accused of alleged sexual assault on a woman when she was a young teenager in the early 90s, and once in 2004.

After a three-day trial at Cavan Circuit Court, the defendant was remanded on bail to March 16 for directions from the DPP on the matter.

The defendant, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the alleged victim, had pleaded not guilty to a total of 23 charges when arraigned before Judge Martin Nolan at Cavan Circuit Court earlier this week.

The charges involved sexual assault on a female at two separate locations on dates between August 1991 and 1993, when the injured party was still in her early teens, and one charge of sexual assault on the same woman, dated in August 2004.

However, during the course of the trial, seven charges up to August 1992 were withdrawn by the judge following evidence that the priest had only began staying at the home in question from August 1992.

The alleged sexual assaults were said to have occurred at the priest's own home, as well as at that of the injured party.

The court heard evidence how, as a young girl, she would be made visit the priest's home with her mother but that, when her parent had left the room, the defendant would kiss her on the mouth, insert his tongue, and feel her breasts and lower back.

It was said that the assaults would occur also when she was made say good night to him and again in the mornings when she would bring the defendant breakfast in bed.

Each time, he would pull her down onto the bed, kiss her on the mouth and attempt to insert his tongue.

She said, when it happened, it was as if the defendant had “a different look” on his face but, once he had assaulted her, he would “snap back to normal”.

Similar evidence was given in relation to the alleged assaults, which were said to have occurred at the injured party's own home.

Of the 2004 incident, the priest was said to have pinched both her breasts “hard”.

The defendant denied all the allegations made against him.

He said he “could not understand” why the defendant had made the allegations, some of which he described as “nonsense” or “nonsensical”.

After a three-day trial, and despite deliberating for several hours, the jury of eight men and four women failed to reach a majority verdict when instructed by the judge.

The defendant, who is now retired, was remanded on bail to March 16 for further directions from the DPP on the matter.

See next week's newspaper for full report.