IRELAND
Irish Independent

NIALL O’CONNOR AND ESTHER HAYDEN – PUBLISHED 22 MARCH 2014 02:30 AM

A FORMER parish priest has been jailed for seven years for the “cold and calculating” sexual abuse of a young boy he would pay money to after he abused him.

Denis Nolan (61) was convicted of “systematically” abusing his victim over five years, starting when he was just 12 years of age.

There were emotional scenes in court yesterday as the victim struggled to fight back tears as he watched his abuser sentenced. John Paul Hunter (19) bravely waived his anonymity as he recalled being subjected to horrendous abuse in the priest’s car, home and local church in Rathnew, Co Wicklow.

Nolan, with an address at Carrigmore, Tinahely, Co Wicklow, pleaded guilty to sexual assault at the same address on a date between January 1, 2007 and June 30, 2007.

He also pleaded guilty…