A PRIEST at the centre of child sex abuse claims has left the country.The clergyman moved back to his native Ireland. Police have started an investigation but have not questioned him.
Catholic Church officials claimed the priest’s move was pre-planned and had nothing to do with the claims.
The clergyman, who is in his 80s, has been accused of being part of a ring of paedophile priests who abused Pat McEwan as a boy more than 50 years ago.
Pat, now 63, claimed the priests molested him many times.
He alleged one priest raped him near the holy shrine of Carfin Grotto in Motherwell.
Police Scotland confirmed they are still investigating the claims.
The priest, who is understood to be in poor health, returned to Ireland around eight weeks ago.
Frank Cassidy, chancellor of Motherwell Diocese, said: “This was pre-planned. He had retired and decided he wanted to get back home. We tried to dissuade him because we felt that we had the opportunity to look after him here. But he wanted to go back and that was facilitated. He was completely unaware of any inquiries about him.”
Pat first made allegations of abuse by priests in 1998 but no one was arrested.
Last month, we revealed how police had re-opened the investigation into his claims that he was abused by two priests, now in their 80s, between 1958 and 1961.
A third priest, also accused by Pat, died in 1963.
Pat claims he was eight when the alleged rape at Carfin Grotto happened.
This month, Bishop Joseph Devine of Motherwell said Pat was “living in a fantasy world”.
But Pat is backed by Alan Draper, who quit his role at the Catholic Church as an adviser on child abuse after dealing with his case.
Pat said: “I was very saddened by Bishop Devine’s lack of compassion. He felt the need to discredit me rather than reaching out to me and other victims.”