Catholic Priest Accused of Sexual Assault Reveals That He Is Married

The Guardian
March 14, 2013

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A Roman Catholic priest accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl told a court on Thursday that he is secretly married.

William Finnegan, 59, who is currently standing trial, revealed to the jury – and at the same time to his diocese – that, despite having taken a vow of celibacy, he married more than a decade ago and kept it a secret from the church and his parishioners.

Finnegan was parish priest at St Clare's RC Church in Bradford when the alleged sexual assault happened last Easter.

His barrister, Jeremy Hill-Baker, told the jury at Bradford crown court: "You may be thinking that he is only human, that Father Bill, as a Catholic priest, has taken a vow of celibacy, condemning himself to a single and lonely life filled with perhaps an underlying sexual frustration because … it is not a natural state for a human to be in."