Priest cleared of historic sex abuse claims

A Catholic priest has been cleared by a jury in the UK of historical allegations that he sexually abused nine girls and one boy.

Limerick-born Fr Mortimer Stanley, 82, from Ballybunion, Co Kerry, denied a string of indecent assaults said to have been committed in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, between 1977 and 2002.

The prosecution alleged that the priest targeted most of the complainants, aged under 11, in his presbytery at St Vincent de Paul RC Church in Norden, when he would sit them on his knee.

Fr Stanley said children would often climb on his knee of their own accord but nothing inappropriate ever happened.

He dismissed the claims from the male complainant that he was abused after “something like chloroform” was put over his mouth as “totally untrue”.

Fr Stanley retired from the priesthood in 2002, aged 68, and returned to live in Ireland.

Jurors at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court were unable to reach a verdict on one count of indecent assault but prosecutor Andrew Mackintosh said the Crown would not seek a retrial.

A not guilty verdict was recorded by Judge John Potter in respect of that count and also another count involving a tenth female complainant who was too unwell to give evidence during the trial.