NORTHERN IRELAND
Breaking News
The crimes of predatory priest Brendan Smyth were ignored to protect the good name of the Catholic church, a public inquiry found.
Smyth attacked children “far and wide” at residential homes in Northern Ireland from the 1940s and was convicted of more than 100 offences, the Historical Institutional Abuse (HIA) inquiry found.
He was allowed a car to roam the country even after he was eventually charged by police in 1991, and over many years his Norbertine religious order and others within the church failed to take determined and vigorous steps to ensure he did not harm more youngsters, the panel found.
A “deliberate decision” was taken to withhold information about Smyth when he was sent to other church dioceses around the world and he was given medical treatment as a “cure” despite continuing to attack minors.
Sir Anthony Hart’s report said: “For the Norbertine order and for others outside the order in positions of responsibility in the church, their overriding priority throughout was to protect the good name of the church and at all times to prioritise Fr Smyth’s interests, instead of doing what was best for the children abused by him.
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