NORTHERN IRELAND
Belfast Telegraph
By Ashleigh McDonald
PUBLISHED
17/01/2017
A priest’s brother, who sexually abused an altar boy while volunteering at the Clonard Novena, has been spared a jail sentence.
Belfast Crown Court heard yesterday that Martin Cassidy is currently taking chemical castration medication at his own request.
He was placed on probation for three years after he admitted abusing the altar boy in 1988.
The 67-year-old from Orchard Mews in Belfast – who hasn’t worked in 40 years and has a criminal record including 13 previous sexual offences – was also made the subject of a five-year Sexual Offenders Prevention Order and will be on the Sexual Offenders Register for the same period.
Passing sentence, Judge Patricia Smyth revealed that Cassidy’s last sexual offending was committed in 1990 and said she felt the public would be best protected by the pensioner participating in the Sex Offenders Treatment Programme as part of his probation.
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