Priest Sex Abuse Hearing Adjourned

UTV
February 1, 2012

http://www.u.tv/News/Priest-sex-abuse-hearing-adjourned/9688ff91-c1e8-4ec1-af9e-cc8a92b0187f

Father Eugene Boland is accused of four charges of indecently assaulting a young girl between June 1990 and 1992.

The priest, who has served in parishes in Donegal, Londonderry and Tyrone, was ministering in Derry at the time of the alleged offences.

The case was due to open last month at Derry's Bishop Street Courthouse but was adjourned because Father Boland's solicitor said his client was "not in a position to proceed with the case".

A preliminary hearing was due to held at Magherafelt Court on Wednesday, but Fr Boland did not appear and his lawyer called for further adjournment.

The District Judge, Mr Desmond Perry, said that very often courts set up preliminary inquiries and witnesses turn up, and then "the thing collapses" and that would be a "gross waste of court time".

He was assured by defence solicitor Kevin McGuigan that the next hearing would go ahead as planned.

Fr Boland took administrative leave from his parish in Killyclogher, Omagh, when the allegations emerged last year.

The preliminary inquiry will be held next month

Defence solicitor Kevin McGuigan said there would be three prosecution witnesses, one of whom is understood to have made a lengthy statement.