Priest Goes on Trial Accused of Sexually Abusing Schoolgirl Almost 30 Years Ago

Belfast Telegraph
September 25, 2012

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/priest-goes-on-trial-accused-of-sexually-abusing-schoolgirl-almost-30-years-ago-16215526.html

A Catholic priest has gone on trial accused of sexually abusing a young girl almost 30 years ago.

The Belfast Crown Court jury of six men and six women heard claims that when the alleged victim was performing various duties at the parochial house of St Matthew's Church — on Bryson Street in the Short Strand area of east Belfast — she was subjected to numerous bouts of abuse at the hands of 69-year-old clergyman Peter Donnelly.

The priest, with an address at Drumaroad Hill, Castlewellan, Co Down, was curate at the church at the time and denies six counts of indecent assault and one of gross indecency alleged to have occurred on dates between July 31, 1983, and August 1, 1987.

He stood down from his position in the Drumaroad parish last year when the allegations came to light.

Fr Donnelly had held the role of parish priest there since 2007.

Opening the case against him, prosecuting lawyer Kate McKay warned the jury that, although such offences "may raise the hackles" of people, they had to set aside any feelings of sympathy or prejudice in deciding the case.

She told them how the offences came to light in September 2010 when the now 40-year-old woman reported to police how she was abused from the age of around 10 until she was approximately 14 years old.

The lawyer said that the alleged victim recounted to police officers how Donnelly had kissed her with "an open mouth", had touched her inappropriately on numerous occasions, and also how the priest had forced her to touch him inappropriately.

When arrested and interviewed by police, Donnelly claimed that he could not remember the girl or her family and he "certainly denied that he had ever, in any way, abused" his alleged victim.

Ms McKay told the jury that while consent would not be an issue in the case, given the alleged victim's age at the time, if they were satisfied that the touching had indeed happened, it could not be anything other than indecent assault.

The trial, which is set to last a week, continues.