IRELAND
Irish examiner
By Liam Heylin
The case against a priest accused of indecently assaulting a student in a school toilet on an unknown date in the mid-1980s has been dismissed after a trial at Cork District Court.
Liam O’Brien, aged 66, of Woodview, Mount Merrion Avenue, Blackrock, Dublin, was cleared yesterday of the single count of indecent assault on a 14-year-old boy, at Coláiste An Chroí Naofa, Carraig Na Bhfear, Co Cork, in the mid-1980s.
Judge Tim Lucey said one of the factors in favour of the defendant was that the alleged incident happened so long ago making it very difficult to defend.
“It is the defendant’s rights I have to be most careful of. The complainant has rights in other tribunals. But this is in criminal law and I have to be very careful.
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