Priest Faces 14 Sex Charges against Boy in Derby

By Martin Naylor
Derby Telegraph
September 3, 2013

http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/Priest-faces-14-sex-charges-boy-Derby/story-19744135-detail/story.html#axzz2dpbB3cds

Francis Paul Cullen was a priest in Derby for 18 years. He faces a total of 27 sex offences against boys.

FOURTEEN of the 27 alleged sexual offences that a Catholic priest has been charged with relate to the time he was living in Derby, it has been revealed. 

Francis Paul Cullen is accused of seven indecent assaults, six charges of gross indecency and one other serious sexual offence between 1963 and 1970, when he was living in the city.

Nine of the other offences allegedly took place while he was in Nottinghamshire between 1957 and 1962 and the final four counts allegedly happened between 1989 and 1991. The location of those four charges has not yet been revealed.

A police spokesman said: "Fourteen of the charges relate to one boy when Cullen was living in Derby.

"The offences allegedly happened in a variety of places, including a caravan, a hotel and Cullen's house.

"The Derby charges relate to offences allegedly committed between 1963 and 1970. There are seven indecent assaults, six of gross indecency and one other sexual offence when the boy was between eight and 14 years old.

"His Nottinghamshire charges relate to one boy aged between eight and 14 years during 1957 to 1962. There are six of indecent assault and three of gross indecency.

"The third boy was between 10 or 11 and 14 years old. Alleged offences were committed between 1989 and 1991. Three are indecent assaults and one is gross indecency."

Cullen, 85, appeared at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court on Saturday to face the charges, which his solicitor said would be "vigorously denied".

He spent 18 years working at Christ the King Catholic Church, on Mackworth estate, and was extradited from Tenerife, where he had been living.