UNITED KINGDOM
Telegraph
A Roman Catholic priest accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl has revealed to a court that he has been secretly married for more than 13 years.
By Telegraph reporter
7:41AM GMT 15 Mar 2013
William Finnegan, 59, told a jury that despite having taken a vow of celibacy, he got married more than a decade ago and kept it a secret from both the church and his parishioners.
Finnegan, also known as “Father Bill”, was parish priest at St Clare’s RC Church in Fagley, Bradford, West Yorkshire, when the alleged sexual assault happened.
He denies sexually assaulting the teenager on Easter Sunday last year by touching her bottom and forcefully kissing her, and is standing trial at Bradford Crown Court.
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