Church tribunal defrocks priest for sexually abusing minors

A retired priest has been found unanimously guilty of sexual abuse and defrocked by the Diocese of Cloyne following a secret ecclesiastical tribunal.

There were scenes of joy and relief at the Nano Nagle Centre outside Mallow in North Cork as victims were brought in to hear the judgment from three canon law judges yesterday.

It is understood up to 11 complaints of abuse were lodged with gardaí over the years about Fr Dan Duane, aged 75, from Mallow but just two cases were prosecuted and both resulted in not guilty verdicts. The diocese has settled civil cases with at least five of victims.