Retired priest will not face trial

A RETIRED parish priest accused of sexually assaulting a young boy over 40 years ago will not face trial due to a lack of evidence and the passage of time.

The 78-year-old priest made a successful application before the High Court to stop the DPP from pursuing his prosecution for allegedly committing four counts of indecent assault and eight counts of buggery against the then 11-year-old boy.

Mr Justice John Hedigan said that this fell into the “wholly exception” category of cases in which prohibiting prosecution was justified due to the “missing evidence and the antiquity of the events”.