Priest quits over defence of sex offender

A PRIEST who was criticised for giving character evidence of behalf of a convicted sex offender has stepped down from his position in the Kerry diocese in advance of a news conference later today by the 24-year-old woman who was assaulted in the case.

Fr Seán Sheehy was among 50 people to shake hands with Danny Foley prior to him being sentenced to seven years in prison earlier this week, at the Circuit Criminal Court in Tralee.

His withdrawal from his position in Castlegregory, where he had been acting as substitute parish priest, follows a meeting with the Bishop of Kerry, Bill Murphy. A statement from the bishop’s office said that in view of recent events, Fr Sheehy’s offer to withdraw his work from Castlegregory had been accepted.