DUBLIN (IRELAND)
Irish Times
February 1, 2019
By David Raliegh
A priest has been found not guilty by a jury on eight counts of indecently assaulting an altar boy in Munster 30 years ago.
The accused had contested all of the charges which related to various dates between 1988 and 1990.
The trial at Limerick Circuit Court heard allegations the priest masturbated himself while the boy was on his lap, and that he had placed his hands inside the boy’s underwear.
The prosecution had alleged the assaults took place at time when the boy was carrying out menial jobs at the priest’s home, such as washing the priest’s car, cutting his lawn, and carrying out painting work.
On Thursday, the accused denied he carried out the alleged assaults, and said he had “no recollection” of the boy ever coming to his home to carry out this work.
The accused, who stepped aside from ministry following the allegations, agreed with Lily Buckley BL, for the prosecution, that he organised and went on outings with altar boys at the time of the alleged assaults on the injured party.
The accused agreed also he was in a position of “great trust” in his parish.
The alleged injured party’s mother told gardaí she remembered her son going to the priest’s house to cut his grass around the time of the alleged offences.
When asked by Ms Buckley if the boy’s mother was “a liar”, the priest replied: “I’m not saying that. I’m saying I have no recollection.”
The accused said he was “shocked” when gardai contacted him about the allegations.
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