Paedophile priest Fr Brendan Smyth found peace with god, an inquiry has been told. In a letter written in 1995 after his conviction for sexually assaulting more than 40 children in the North, the west Belfast-born priest said he hoped his victims could also find solace. He had lashed out at the media for adding to their distress.

A notorious paedophile priest told a doctor he had sexually abused hundreds of children, an inquiry heard.

Sexual abuse was rampant at a children’s home in the North run by a Catholic order of brothers, a former senior police officer has said.

A Stormont Assembly member who defied a judge’s ruling ordering him to reveal a confidential source is today set to find out what punishment he will face.

A Stormont Assembly member who defied a judge’s ruling ordering him to reveal a confidential source should not be sent to jail because that’s exactly what he wants, a court heard today.