IRELAND
RTE News
An Irish priest who was found liable in a civil case in California for the sexual abuse of a boy has told his bishop he has fled to Ireland.
Bishop of Stockton Stephen Blaire has appealed to Fr Michael Kelly, a native of Ballingarry, Co Tipperary, to return and, as he put it, “see his trial through”.
Recently, a civil jury in Stockton, Southern California, found unanimously that an unnamed man was molested by Michael Kelly, 62, when he was a boy.
Bishop Blaire immediately removed him from ministry saying that the priest continued to deny the allegations. Nevertheless, he said the jury verdict had to be respected.
Yesterday, the Bishop revealed that Fr Kelly had written to him telling him that he had fled to Ireland.
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