IRELAND
Irish Times
Sonya McLean
A priest who molested a 12-year-old after bringing the boy and his brother on holiday to Ireland over 40 years ago has been jailed for nine months.
Michael Dunn (67), of Lawrence Street, York in England, pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault and intends to appeal the sentence, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on Friday.
Dunn knew the boy and his family as the child served as an altar boy. The victim was bullied at school and Dunn became his “trusted confidant”, the court heard.
The victim said that Dunn groomed him to comply and that he felt helpless to escape. “I was imprisoned in what was supposed to be a holiday and 100 miles from home,” he said.
Garda Karen Doherty told John Fitzgerald BL, prosecuting, that the victim told gardaí that while in Dublin, Dunn got him to share his bed every night. The abuse started with Dunn touching him while he pretended to be asleep and progressed to the man forcing him to masturbate and kiss him.
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