Ex-priest Daniel Curran, 64, denies sex abuse charges

BBC News
December 8, 2014

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-30374538

Daniel Curran from Newcastle, County Down, has pleaded not guilty to the charges

A former priest from Newcastle, County Down, has denied sexually abusing a boy in the 1990s.

Daniel Curran, 64, pleaded not guilty to charges of indecent assault and committing an act of gross indecency with or towards a male child.

It relates to a date unknown between 8 August 1990 and 7 August 1995.

A defence lawyer told the court he planned to ask the court to dismiss two further similar charges, later this week, through a no bill application.

He said he also plans to ask the court to stop the prosecution on the two charges that Mr Curran denied on Monday.

This is on foot of an abuse of process application, as due to the length of time between the allegations and now, the former priest "doesn't have any recollection".

However, the lawyer agreed with the judge's comment that it would be a "difficult application to make" and that Mr Curran, from Bryansford Avenue in Newcastle, had been "fully advised" regarding the credit a court gives for pleading guilty at the first opportunity.

Releasing Mr Curran on continuing bail at Downpatrick Crown Court, the judge ordered him to come back to court on Wednesday, when he would deal with the no bill application and schedule the further abuse of process application.