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Priest given suspended sentence for indecent assault

A 75-year-old priest named in the Murphy Report on clerical abuse has received a 3-year suspended...
Newstalk
Newstalk

15.28 18 Jan 2013


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Priest given suspended sentenc...

Priest given suspended sentence for indecent assault

Newstalk
Newstalk

15.28 18 Jan 2013


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A 75-year-old priest named in the Murphy Report on clerical abuse has received a 3-year suspended sentence for an indecent assault on a boy in the early 1980s.

Fr. Patrick Maguire admitted fondling the boy who stayed overnight at his house in North Dublin on a date in 1981 or 1982.

The now-laicised priest has 15 similar previous convictions from Ireland and the UK.

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The victim in this case took 30 years to come forward whose family had known Fr. Maguire.

Victim asks for lenient sentence

He feels the abuse has impaired almost every aspect of his life but asked Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to impose a lenient sentence.

In a written victim impact statement, he said he understands Fr. Maguire had severe psychological problems and was acting on impulses beyond his control but is appalled the Church knew about the abuse and did nothing to stop him.

Lawyers for the priest told the court he is deeply shamed by what he has done and is even more mortified by the compassion shown by his victim.

The 75-year-old is under a stringent regime of supervision by the Columban Fathers whose offer of money as compensation was accepted by the victim.

Imposing a 3-year suspended sentence, Judge Mary Ellen Ring said the abuse had robbed a 10-year-old boy of his innocence and was inexcusable.


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