Preacher in religious sect assaulted boy

A travelling preacher in a religious sect has been jailed for a year for indecently assaulting and attempting to indecently assault a young boy, who was also a member of that sect, in the 1970s.

The court was told Robert Noel Tanner, aged 74, Hillcrest, Crush, Glanmire, Co Cork, had assaulted the boy while he was staying at the home of the victim’s parents in the 1970s.

In sentencing the pensioner, Judge Stephen Fowler said it was a “gross breach of trust, not to mention the hypocrisy of preaching to the sect and child by doing this behind their back”.