SCOTLAND
Scotsman

By DANIEL SANDERSON
Published on 19/05/2013

THE men whose allegations of sexual misconduct prompted the resignation of Cardinal Keith O’Brien have criticised the Vatican for telling the cleric to leave Scotland for a period of “prayer and penance”.

It was announced last week that the cardinal, Britain’s most senior Catholic, would spend several months out of the country “for the purpose of spiritual renewal” after he admitted in March that his sexual conduct had fallen below expected standards.

The three priests and a former priest, who made the accusations against O’Brien in February relating to incidents in the 1980s, attacked the move and said O’Brien should have instead been sent for psychological treatment.

They also reiterated calls for a full investigation into O’Brien’s behaviour and said stripping him of his status as a cardinal should not be ruled out.

One of the priests said: “Keith is…