Priest admits sexual assaults

A 79-year-old priest who got a suspended jail term last month for sexually assaulting a girl throughout her First Confession in West Cork pleaded guilty yesterday to carrying out similar assaults on three other girls in the mid-1970s.

John Calnan who is now living at The Presbytery, Roman St, Cork, was formally arrested and charged yesterday by Detective Garda Maurice Shanley.

As soon as Calnan was charged and cautioned by the detective, he replied “guilty” to each of the charges.