Former parish priest of St Clare’s, Fagley, denies kissing 17-year-old

UNITED KINGDOM
Telegraph and Argus

By Claire Armstrong, T&A Reporter

A jury was today continuing to deliberate whether a Roman Catholic priest, who has confessed he is married, sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl.

William Finnegan, 59, is standing trial at Bradford Crown Court accused of taking hold of the girl, who cannot be named, and forcefully kissing her.

The alleged offence happened when he was parish priest at St Clare’s RC Church in Fagley, Bradford.

Finnegan denies one charge of sexual assault.

Yesterday the jury heard summing up by the prosecution, defence and the trial judge, the Recorder of Bradford, Judge Roger Thomas QC.

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