Smyth to face 30 additional charges in Republic

Irish Times
September 23, 1995

Brendan Smyth, already serving four years for child sex abuse, was jailed yesterday for a further three years.

However, Belfast Crown Court heard that when finally released - possibly by Easter 1997 on parole - the 68 year old priest will face 30 additional charges in the Republic. The court also heard that Smyth will remain a danger to children for the rest of his life.

Although in a letter to the court Smyth described his 13 victims as people for whom he had "affection and friendship", the trial judge, Mr Justice Campbell referred to them as "vulnerable young children" who had been "persistently targeted". In all Smyth pleaded guilty to 26 charges of indecently assaulting nine girls and four boys from September 1969 to October 1988.

When jailing Smyth, Mr Justice Campbell said the guilt felt by two of his victims was too much to bear and they had attempted to take their own lives.

"That," said the judge, "is a terrible indictment and something which you will have to live with for the rest of your life."

The judge said some of Smyth's victims were orphans in Catholic homes who had no one to turn to, while others were the children of people he had befriended and who may have considered they would not have been believed if they had complained. In two cases, children did turn for help from the authorities. But, said the judge, those in power "chose to ignore those complaints".

"While that is not only a terrible thing, it also did you a disservice," Mr Justice Campbell told Smyth, as his abuse of trust would have been uncovered sooner.

"But the facts remain that you as a priest systematically abused that trust in a disgraceful way and persistently targeted these vulnerable young children.

He said Smyth had the psychiatric disorder of "fixated paedophilia" which prevented sufferers feeling anything for their victims. However, he added that Smyth had done all in his power to seek medical help which allowed him to show some remorse and to recognise the disgrace he had brought on himself, family and his church.

Mr John Creaney QC, for the crown, revealed that because of the publicity surrounding Smyth's jailing in June last year for abusing nine youngsters, 13 others had come forward to implicate him in other cases of abuse. Although Smyth pleaded guilty to 26 new charges of indecent assault, Mr Creaney pointed out the charges were only specimen counts to reflect the priest's catalogue of assaults.

He said the children were mostly aged 10 or 11, although in one case the abuse continued until the victim was 18.

Many of Smyth's victims were in Catholic children's homes in Belfast, Co Down, and Enniskillen and he had easy access to them. On some occasions he would abuse children in the homes of the children themselves after he had befriended and gained the trust of their parents.

Mr Creaney revealed that to buy the children's silence, Smyth would sometimes ply them with sweets or pay them off with sums of up to Pounds 10. However, he added, all Smyth's victims, although now grown up, suffered "major traumatic effects" or psychiatric problems as a result of the abuse.

He told the court that one young girl, who was abused during a four year period, complained later that "she felt creepy at the activities of this man".

Mr Jim Lavery QC, defending, said that, as a "life long fixated paedophile, a compulsive paedophiliac", the priest could not help himself. He was, said Mr Lavery, suffering from a recognised psychiatric illness, a "classic symptom" of which did not allow its sufferers to recognise the harm they were causing.

He said that "morally reprehensible" as Smyth's offences were, while in prison he has been undergoing a "regime of treatment" and has "done all in his power to come to terms with the offences he has committed".

Mr Lavery also said this was the first time Smyth had been able to apologise to his victims for the suffering he caused them.

In a statement from Smyth which was read to the court, Mr Lavery said the priest wished to express his deep sorrow to all those he had harmed.

"For a second time within 16 months," read the statement, "I have undergone a trial for sexually abusing young people for whom I had affection and friendship. That these crimes, to which I have unreservedly pleaded guilty, took place, in the main, 20 to 30 years ago, does not make them any the less wicked, and I have welcomed the prison sentences imposed by the courts as a fitting means of paying my debt to society.

"I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep sorrow to anyone who has in any way suffered as a result of my actions and also to those relatives, friends and also members of my religious community who suffered because of the media treatment of these matters.

"For a long time now I have been at peace with my God and I trust they too will find a similar peace."

This is a statement by the Bishop of Down and Connot, Dr Patrick Walsh:

It is a cause of deepest regret that Father Smyth betrayed his sacred trust by sexually abusing children, including those particularly vulnerable children who were in children's homes. Our sympathy and concern must go to those children who were abused and to their families.

Those who are caring for children in children's homes are undertaking very difficult work on behalf of society. They deserve our sympathy, understanding and support as well.

But especially we should all support in every way we can those young persons who were Father Smyth's victims. They and their families have suffered terribly and will require our understanding, sympathy and help.