UTV
March 22, 2011
http://www.u.tv/News/Priest-acquitted-of-historic-child-abuse/d08634ed-0e50-4b6a-9945-419fd054545f
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A former Catholic priest has walked free from court after he was acquitted of sexually molesting a schoolgirl more than 30 years ago.
Belfast Crown Court Judge Tom Burgess directed the jury to acquit 61-year-old James Doyle of 15 counts of indecent assault after he ruled that the alleged victim's evidence had been "innocently contaminated" by another alleged victim.
Doyle, from Lower Gardiner Street in Dublin, faced 20 further charges of indecent assault against the second girl.
But, prosecution lawyer David Russell asked for those to be "left on the books" after telling the court that she does not feel able to give evidence against the former priest again.
All 35 charges counts were alleged to have occurred on dates between 31 March 1976 and April 1 1980 and related to alleged inappropriate touching of the girls when they were between seven and ten-years-old.
In directing the jury and lifting reporting restrictions in the case, Judge Burgess said there was absolutely no suggestion the woman had colluded or "deliberately fabricated" their accounts.
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