NORTHERN IRELAND
BBC News
A statement has been read out at Masses in a County Down church in relation to a priest accused of embezzling funds.
Parishioners of St Macartan’s Church, Loughinisland, were told that retired priest Father Conleth Byrne, 78, had been charged with defrauding the church of more than £145,000.
Father Byrne was parish priest at Loughinisland at the time.
The statement said that the diocese of Down and Connor and Father Byrne were co-operating fully with the police.
The statement, read out on Sunday, confirmed that Father Byrne had been charged with dishonestly abusing a position of trust by making payments to a person with the intention of making a gain for himself or another person, or to cause a loss to the parish of Loughinisland.
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