NORTHERN IRELAND
Belfast Telegraph
Paedophile priest Father Brendan Smyth threatened to punch another cleric when warned to stay away from altar boys, an inquiry has heard.
Fr William Fitzgerald, who served with Smyth at Kilnacrott Abbey in Co Cavan during the late 1980s, described the serial child molester as a scary individual whose notoriety extended across the world.
Giving evidence to the Historical Abuse Inquiry (HIA) the 61-year-old Australian also said he had to bar Smyth from church rehearsals with nine altar boys.
He said: “I told him, ‘in view of the rumours about you and your sexual activities with children, you will not be anywhere near these kids under my watch’.
“He said ‘I’ll knock your head off.’
“I said ‘oh make my day you b*****d. I’ll knock your head clean off’.”
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