NORTHERN IRELAND
Belfast Telegraph
A Catholic priest has gone on trial accused of sexually abusing a young girl almost 30 years ago.
The Belfast Crown Court jury of six men and six women heard claims that when the alleged victim was performing various duties at the parochial house of St Matthew’s Church — on Bryson Street in the Short Strand area of east Belfast — she was subjected to numerous bouts of abuse at the hands of 69-year-old clergyman Peter Donnelly.
The priest, with an address at Drumaroad Hill, Castlewellan, Co Down, was curate at the church at the time and denies six counts of indecent assault and one of gross indecency alleged to have occurred on dates between July 31, 1983, and August 1, 1987.
He stood down from his position in the Drumaroad parish last year when the allegations came to light.
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