By Niall O'Dowd
IrishCentral
April 27, 2010
http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Pedophile-priest-flees-back-to-Ireland-where-he-is-a-free-man-92147629.html
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| Pedophile priest Father Oliver O'Grady roaming free in Dublin |
Notorious pedophile priest Father Oliver O'Grady is back in his old haunts in Ireland a free man after fleeing Rotterdam in Holland, where it was discovered that he was working with children and in a local Catholic church, calling himself "Brother Francis."
O'Grady abused hundreds of children during his thirty years in America as a priest. One victim was only nine months old. He served seven years out of a 14-year prison sentence before being deported to Ireland in 2003.
O'Grady was unmasked in Holland a few weeks ago after a 2006 documentary called "Deliver us from Evil" was finally shown in the country. The documentary is based on his activities while in America and the priest was immediately recognized.
According to the filmmaker Amy Berg, who made "Deliver Us from Evil" and who was contacted by local Dutch parishioners, O'Grady was "contacted by Dutch police officers that had been tipped off by his neighbors who had seen an advertisement for the film.
"O'Grady quickly disguised himself and fled, taking a train from Rotterdam to Schtipol. He managed to catch the last plane out of Amsterdam on Aer Lingus at 20:45.
"Needless to say, the community was terrified and is still in a state of panic and shock. Another family told me they had been very close friends with O'Grady and had even traveled with him along with their nine-month-old child," Berg wrote on her blog.
O'Grady was flying back to freedom. Berg called her two friends in Dublin, Irish artists and filmmakers Noel Donnellon and Daniel Holfeld.
"Within two days (after visiting his old haunts) they provided me with six photos of a bearded Oliver walking freely without a care in the world. He was perusing bookstores, cafes, and living the life of Riley," blogged Berg.
Local police in Ireland say they can do nothing, as O'Grady has not committed any crime since he was deported from America in 2003. He is due to receive a large retirement benefit from the church when he turns 65 in June, according to Berg.
Father Oliver O'Grady served as a priest at St. Anne's Catholic Church in Lodi, California from 1971 to 1978. He later served at Church of the Presentation in Stockton, California, Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Turlock, California, St. Andrew's Parish in San Andreas, California, and St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Hughson, California.
In 1993 he was convicted on four counts of "lewd and lascivious acts" on two minors, the brothers John and James Howard, and was sentenced to 14 years in prison. Attorney Jeff Anderson said the Howards were repeatedly molested between 1978 and 1991, from age three to 13. Anderson claimed church officials knew that O'Grady had abused children as early as 1976 and 1984 but had done nothing. Police had been informed of earlier charges and had declined to prosecute.
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