Retired parish priest, 73, denies indecently assaulting teenage girl

A RETIRED parish priest from Mallow was put on trial yesterday accused of indecently assaulting a teenage girl by kissing her on the lips and fondling her breasts.

Retired Fr Daniel Duane, 73, was arraigned at Cork Circuit Criminal Court where he pleaded not guilty to indecently assaulting a female on some date between September 1980 and April 1982 at his house at the time in Bellevue, Mallow. The defendant now resides at Cecilstown, Mallow.

Duane’s senior counsel, James O’Mahony, suggested that the incident did not happen and she was making the complaint in the hope of making monetary gain, having sent a solicitor’s letter seeking compensation.