Priest Denies Sex Abuse, UTV, December 7, 2011

Priest Denies Sex Abuse

UTV
December 7, 2011

http://www.u.tv/News/Priest-denies-sex-abuse/126697fe-46d0-4141-99c2-b8fe8d65d7b1

A former priest accused of sexually abusing three alleged victims has denied committing any sexual impropriety against any of them.

Giving evidence on his own behalf at Belfast Crown Court for the second day, 53-year-old James Martin Donaghy maintained his innocence of all the charges against him.

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.

His alleged victims included Fr Patrick McCafferty, Mr James Doherty and a now 29-year-old man who was an altar boy and one-time trainee priest at the time of the alleged abuse.

Under cross-examination from prosecuting QC Ken McMahon, the lawyer took each of the alleged victim's in turn, starting with Fr McCafferty who alleged that he was abused whilst at seminary in Wexford, at two parochial houses Donaghy was living in, at a retreat in Donegal and also at a flat in Lisburn the night before Donaghy's ordination.

Donaghy told the jury that while he initially liked Fr McCafferty, the priest has since "villified me since 2001" by alleging "the most outrageous things about me".

He also claimed that Fr McCafferty committed perjury in giving evidence whilst under oath, telling the court: "He has told lies about me."

Asked by Mr McMahon what Fr McCafferty's motivation would be to come to court to lie, Donaghy said he was "not going to speculate" to which the lawyer replied: "I have to suggest that the reason he gave the account that he did is that these events happened."

Moving onto James Doherty, who alleged he was abused in St Michael's Parochial House in Finaghy the night before a funeral and that two of the other three assaults occurred in the Parochial House of Corpus Christi where the accused had moved.

Donaghy however claimed that Mr Doherty had "never" stayed at any parochial house where he was resident and that on the night before the funeral of Fr Charles Agnew, the late priest's sister, Sister Bernadatte Agnew, had stayed in the spare bedroom.

Mr McMahon put to the former priest that Mr Doherty's parents had told police the altar boy had stayed the night and also that a priest who came to pay his respects to Fr Agnew, also testified that his "strong impression" was that Mr Doherty was to stay the night.

"He could have stayed somewhere else and said that he stayed, I have no idea," claimed Donaghy, "all I know is that Sister Bernadette was in the room that was next to mine."

Mr Doherty gave evidence that while he originally wanted to be a priest himself, he moved to England to get away from Donaghy and the "years of abuse" but Donaghy told the jury while he heard that evidence "I never abused him".

In relation to Mr Doherty's allegations that he was abused in the parochial house of Corpus Christi, Donaghy said he "denied that completely" and suggested himself that numerous other people had access to the property including other priests, a housekeeper and parishioners who could have come in "at any time".

Turning to the third alleged victim who claims he was subjected to sexual abuse from the mid 1990s until 2000 when he joined a seminary to train to become a priest, Donaghy conceded the 24-year age gap between them was "unusual".

While giving evidence last week, the now 29-year-old man claimed Donaghy told him "he loved me and that he had loved me from the first time that he had set eyes on me."

He claimed he was first abused when he was around 14, that Donaghy used the term "ice cream" as a code for abuse, that he would make up jobs for him to do so that his family let him stay around the parochial house, often staying overnight and that on almost every occasion, he was subjected to some form of abuse.

"I never abused him," declared Donaghy, who accepted that although he bought him various gifts over the years including a bed, a "very cheap" second hand car, mobile top-up cards and cash, it was all done to support him and his family, including while he was a trainee priest.

Mr McMahon asked Donaghy directly "were you attracted to him?" but the former priest denied that he was, replying simply "no, I never told him that" and later claiming "there was no physical dimension to the relationship".

The jury have already heard that during one bout of alleged abuse, Donaghy "sweet talked" his victim and told him he loved him but on Wednesday Donaghy claimed "I never told him I loved him".

Asked by the lawyer did he in fact love the complainant, Donaghy replied: "In the Christian sense, the way that you try to love all people, love God or love your neighbour."

Mr McMahon is expected to conclude his cross-examination on Thursday.

The trial continues.