UTV
November 22, 2011
http://www.u.tv/News/Priest-accuser-denies-infatuation/45c52095-ea5f-4222-88fb-7f327d7c0b25
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A man who claims he was sexually abused by a former priest has denied that he was "infatuated" with the defendant.
Under cross examination on the second day of the trial of 53-year-old James Martin Donaghy at Belfast Crown Court on Tuesday, it was suggested to James Doherty that "the whole story you have told is a complete gay fantasy based upon your infatuation with him".
Defence QC Eugene Grant further suggested that he had accused Donaghy of abusing him because "he had no interest in you," leaving Doherty "hurt and angry".
Mr Doherty, who has told the court he wanted to be a priest until he was allegedly subjected to the abuse, told the lawyer "that's incorrect" and added that while he was indeed hurt and angry "it's because of what he did to me".
Donaghy, from Lady Wallace Drive in Lisburn, denies a total of 26 charges involving the alleged sex abuse and indecent assault of three males between June 1983 and December 2000, including Fr Patrick McCafferty, Mr Doherty and a trainee priest.
Yesterday (mon) Mr Doherty alleged that he was first attacked when he was 17 in November 1985 and he had stayed overnight in the Parochial House at the Church of St Michael the Archangel in Finaghy.
He said a naked Fr Donaghy got into bed beside him and pulled down his underpants before attacking him.
The witness said two of the other three assaults occurred in the Parochial House of Corpus Christi where the accused had moved.
Mr Doherty said he ran away to England after the assaults and developed a drink problem and was jailed for theft from a bank where he worked.
At the conclusion of the cross examination on Tuesday, Mr Grant put to Mr Doherty that his affections had been "unrequited," that he was "desperate" and that his evidence "is a lie isn't it".
Mr Doherty however refuted each of the suggestions, telling the lawyer "not at all".
The trial continues.
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