Ex-horsham Priest Leslie John Sheahan Appeals against Child Abuse Jail Sentence

ABC News
March 6, 2015

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-06/ex-priest-on-bail-after-appealing-against-child/6285010

A former western Victorian priest, convicted for indecently assaulting a child, has been released on bail while he appeals against his jail term.

Magistrate Michelle Hodgson sentenced Leslie John Sheahan to 12 months in prison, with three months to be completed immediately, for abusing the girl who who was aged between nine and 11, in Horsham.

The magistrate took into account Sheahan's age, remorsefulness and early guilty plea, and placed the 85 year old on the sexual offenders' register.

Ballarat Magistrates Court heard Sheahan, who was a priest at the Horsham parish in the 1970s, was interrupted by the victim's mother during the abuse and told her the girl was screaming because he scared her.

Through her impact statement, the victim told the court that when she revealed the abuse to another priest, she was accused of lying and sent to the confessional.

When the sentence was handed down, the victim's father interjected, saying "beautiful".

However, their joy was short-lived when Sheahan immediately lodged an appeal and was released on bail.

He is due to appear in the County Court at a later date.