Priest’s life ‘torn apart’ by child rape accusation

On May 23 last year Fr Kevin Reynolds had his life and reputation torn apart when a high profile television investigation branded him a child rapist.

Prime Time Investigates said his victim, who he met while working as a missionary in Kenya, had a child as a result of his abuse. And it said he secretly transferred money to cover the parenting costs.

RTÉ has since accepted all of these allegations were false and the programme should never have been aired. It has apologised to Fr Reynolds, a priest of 40 years, and it has paid him compensation believed to have been in excess of €1m.