Saturday, November 24, 2012

Nun denies indecent assaults against girls

A nun has described as “repulsive” complaints that she committed a series of indecent assaults against girls aged seven and eight.

The nun denies 67 charges of indecent assaults against seven women.

Sr Mary Theresa Grogan told Garda Olive Dreelan, who led the inquiry into the alleged offences, that she wouldn’t do anything to a child, a court heard yesterday.

Garda Dreelan gave evidence of a statement fom Sr Mary Theresa (63), who is accused of a series of the offences between 1973 and 1977.

Garda Dreelan said she went to interview the nun in 2007 about complaints made by seven women in 2006.

Garda Dreelan told Sligo Circuit Court that the nun, when one girl’s statement of complaint was read to her, said: “From the depths of my being I cannot accept that.”

In response to several statements of complaint of indecent assault by other women when they were schoolgirls the nun said: “I cannot accept that.” 

She added after hearing one woman’s complaint: “I find it repulsive. I would deny this. I think it is horrendous.”