Tuesday, July 05, 2011

Ex-priest’s apology for ‘torture’ of sex abuse

A COURT has heard an apology from a 79-year-old former priest to a woman for the "torture" of sexual abuse he subjected her to from the age of 11.

Paul McGennis, of Holy Cross Diocesan Centre, Clonliffe Road, Dublin 3, pleaded guilty to eight sample counts of indecent assault on the female at two locations in the city on dates between June 1980 and May 1984.

Judge Desmond Hogan remanded McGennis on continuing bail and will sentence him at the end of the month.

The court heard the abuse took place in the priest’s house in one Dublin parish and continued after he moved to another.

Sergeant Brian Lyons told Martina Baxter, prosecuting, the ex-priest would always have chocolate in the house and would give the girl sweets and toys, but when she began to get older he would give her money after having sex.

The woman said the abuse continued because she was a child and was scared.

She said she would "get messages" for McGennis. The abuse began when she was late returning from an errand on one occasion and he "gave out" to her.

The woman said the abuse would take place almost every fortnight in the bedroom of the parish house and in a waiting room.

She said the abuse continued after he moved to a different address and when she began having her period he started to use condoms.

Sgt Lyons said she would cry during the abuse as he was hurting her and she would be unable to breathe as she was asthmatic.

She complained to gardaí several years ago after receiving counselling following a suicide attempt.

When interviewed by gardaí in 2009, McGennis denied the allegations, but he pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court this year.

McGennis was called to the witness box by Luan Ó Braonain, defending, where he apologised for the "torture" he had put her through.

"I would like to apologise most sincerely to [the victim] and her family for the stress and torture I have put them through and for the fact that my initial denials must have made it worse.

"For that early denial, I apologise profoundly to the family."

In her victim impact statement, the victim said he had "taken away my innocence, my childhood memories, my chance of an education and my prospects for the future". The abuse continued to threaten her marriage and denied her the chance to have children, she said.

The court heard McGennis was co-operating with a Garda investigation that was launched as a result of the Murphy Report.

It was clarified that McGennis was not related to the current charges.

Sgt Lyons told the court there were no matters outstanding against him.

The court heard that McGennis has four previous convictions for indecent assault and has served a prison sentence.