IRELAND
UTV

Published Friday, 20 April 2012

A wheelchair-bound former priest has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a boy and a girl, more than 16 year after confessing to a litany of other offences against children.

Joseph Michael Steele, 71 and with an address at Kimmage Manor in Dublin, was a member of the Holy Ghost Order who served as a pastor and chaplain of a children’s home when the offences occurred.

On Friday, he admitted five counts of indecent assault and two of gross indecency committed against the boy between 1967 and 1971. He also admitted three counts of indecently assaulting the girl between 1979 and 1983.