NORTHERN IRELAND
Derry Journal
By Donna Deeney
Tuesday 25th January 2005
Sex abuse allegation at the centre of media reports about Fr. Andy McCloskey was not an isolated incident, the Journal has been told.
At the weekend masses in St Patrick's Church, Dungiven, Fr
McCloskey told the congregation that he was the priest who paid £19,000 as a settlement in a sex abuse case.
Fr .McCloskey who did not admit liability in the case said the incident occurred because he had a serious drink problem at the time.
In his statement Fr McCloskey said: "I made a mistake for which I have paid very dearly."
However, as part of our investigations into the case the Journal has been informed that Bishop Hegarty was made aware of other allegations against Fr McCloskey.
Although we contacted Bishop Hegarty and asked if there was any investigation carried out into these allegations and if so what the finding were, the Bishop declined to answer this and other questions posed, saying he would add nothing to the statement issued earlier.
Posted by kshaw at January 25, 2005 08:25 AM