A 73-year-old former dean of the
secondary school at Kilnacrott Abbey appeared before Cavan District
Court charged with the indecent assault of a boy at the school 40 years
ago.
Anthony McNulty, with an address at
Kilnacrott Abbey, Kilnacrott, pleaded guilty to the charge and Judge
Sean MacBride directed victim impact and probation reports before
remanding the defendant for sentencing to Cavan District Court on
February 10.
Inspector Dermot Drea, prosecuting, said that
there were six specimen charges related to the period 1969/70.
The
defendant admitted the offences, which involved kissing and hugging.
Judge MacBride, directing the preparation of a
victim impact report, said that it was the victim’s right to give
evidence at the sentencing if he wished to do so.
Also if the victim
wanted legal representation, he would grant it.
Defending solicitor Ms Ann Dolan said that
Anthony McNulty was the youngest of 10 children of a devout family who
entered the monastery after leaving school.
He had treatment for sexual
offending and now realised the seriousness of his actions.
He had
tendered his apologies to the victim and was thoroughly ashamed of what
he did.
Ms Dolan further informed the court that her
client had been totally removed from ministry and was living under a
strict regime.
It was over 40 years since the last offence and it was
only in the last 15 years that the courts had seen an explosion of those
prosecutions, she stated. It was a steep learning curve and it was only
in recent years that the effects of this abuse were fully realised, she
continued.
Judge: “That doesn’t excuse it; it is a total
abuse of a vulnerable young boy. It is a very serious offence and it
would be dishonest of me not to tell you that I will be considering a
prison sentence in this case.”
Further addressing the defendant the Judge
stated: “As a Catholic I am ashamed of what you and the like of you have
done to our Church. You have betrayed a sacred trust; a child has been
betrayed by you as far as this court is concerned”.
Judge MacBride added
that he had attended St. Columb’s college, Derry, as a boarder. It was
well run by decent priests and laity who respected soul and body.
He
complemented all those priests who were loyal to their vocation and who
felt betrayed by people like the defendant.
Giving the defendant credit for pleading
guilty, Judge MacBride said he would study the probation report to see
whether the defendant’s expression of remorse was genuine or not.
“I am
seriously warning you that you are going to have to serve some time in
custody for this offence,” stated the judge to the defendant before
remanding him on continuing bail to Cavan District Court on February,
10, 2011.
SIC: AC/IE