Former Irish Priest May Face Extradition over Child Abuse Claims

The Newstalk
January 5, 2012

http://www.newstalk.ie/2012/news/irish-priest-facing-extradition-in-connection-with-child-abuse-claims/

A former Irish priest facing allegations of child sex abuse from the 1960s to the 1980s is due in court in London today.

72-year-old Peter Kennedy was deported from Brazil to England on St. Stephen’s Day.

He first hit the headlines in 2003 when one of his former victims was awarded ˆ325,000 in one of the largest ever pay-outs in an Irish clerical sex abuse case.

He fled to Brazil on a British passport where he worked as an English teacher until the authorities there deported him 10 days ago.

He is due before the Magistrates Court of the City of Westminster today.

If he is extradited from Britain Gardai are expected to bring charges against him.

Up to 18 people have made statements to Gardai alleging that they were sexually abused by Kennedy who was a former member of St Patrick’s Missionary Society.

The suicides of 2 young men have also been examined as part of the Garda investigation.