Man who falsely accused priest of abuse has appeal dismissed

The Court of Criminal Appeal has dismissed an appeal brought by a Dublin man against his conviction for falsely accusing a priest of child sexual abuse.

Last June, following a 17 day trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court Paul Anderson (34) of Crumlin Park, Crumlin, and formerly of Fatima Mansions and Iveagh Trust Flats, New Bride Street, Dublin was jailed for four years, by Judge Patricia Ryan, for making the false complaint.

Anderson denied making a false accusations against the priest, to a Detective Garda at Kevin Street garda station on June 18th 2003, that acts of indecent assault and buggery were committed on him by the priest between February and May 1981.

Anderson appealed both his conviction and the four year sentence he received.

Today the three judge CCA of Mr Justice Joseph Finnegan, presiding, sitting with Mr Justice Dan Herbert and Mr Justice Paul Gilligan rejected Anderson's appeal against his conviction.

In its judgment the CCA found that that there had been no error by Judge Ryan and dismissed all grounds of Anderson's appeal against the conviction.

The court adjourned Anderson's appeal against his four year sentence.

Counsel for Anderson, Mr Justin Dillon SC, had argued that the conviction should be set aside on grounds including that the Judge had erred by including as evidence during the trial a statement made by Anderson to the Gardaí, in which he made certain admissions.

Counsel said that this statement, which his client made after being in custody for over 5 hours, should not have been admitted for a number of reasons including that it was not video recorded by the Gardaí, which it ought to have been.

It was also claimed that the Gardaí had acted in an improper manner towards Anderson while he was in custody.

He claimed that the Gardaí had threatened to jail his parents, and had asked his sister to speak with him while he was detained.

Dominic McGinn BL for the DPP argued that there was no evidence to show where Judge Ryan had gone wrong, and that the conviction against should remain undisturbed.

He that the only evidence of any wrong doing by the Gardaí had was offered to the court by Anderson and his witnesses.

Judge Ryan, counsel said, had found that evidence as "not being truthful", nor was it credible or consistent.

During Anderson's trial in 2007 the court heard that he had originally claimed the priest had sexually assaulted him while giving him First Holy Communion prayer tuition more than 25 years ago.

The allegations, made five years ago, were untrue, but the priest was instantly and publicly suspended from ministry while the claims were investigated.

At Anderson's sentencing hearing the priest asked the court to show him mercy.

The jury heard that Anderson was €9,000 in debt and his car had been repossessed when he made the allegations.