Saturday, July 16, 2011

Woman made abuse claim last February

THE latest allegation of clerical child sexual abuse in the diocese of Cloyne was made earlier this year - two months after the Murphy commission concluded its own report into the scandal.

The Irish Examiner understands that an adult woman still living in Ireland made the allegation in February.

This individual was not included in the commission investigation into clerical child sex abuse in the diocese as she came forward after the document had been concluded and handed over to the government last December.

Sources close to the investigation say the middle-aged woman has alleged that she was attacked by a priest while she was a young teenager in the early 1980s.

It is alleged the historical cases specifically involve claims that this man attacked the complainant while she was taking part in diocesan work.

It is believed that investigating officers are continuing to examine the full facts surrounding the case and are due to send a file to the director of public prosecutions in the coming months.

Despite the work already taken place in the diocese of Cloyne, the incident underlines how more cases of sexual assault may not have been disclosed.

A number of victims have previously said they are aware of other people who have confirmed they were allegedly abused in Cloyne while children, but who have not yet come forward to investigating officers.

Fresh evidence of further cases of clerical child sex abuse brought forward to gardaí will strengthen the argument for further inquiries in other dioceses to take place, advocacy groups have stressed.