HiddenMysteries: It's Time to Bring this 2000 Year Reign of Terror and Crimes to an End

Priest guilty of abuse faces prison sentence

By Phil Campion

A PRIEST who sexually abused boys aged between eight and 13 over 30 years ago has finally been brought to justice.

Fr John Benedict Corrigan (71), who retired to Galway in 1994, was extradited to England where he pleaded guilty to seven counts of indecent assault against altar boys.

Speaking outside the court one of his victims said he hoped officials "lock him up and throw away the key".

Between 1967 and 1972 while working in England, Corrigan abused one boy aged between 12 and 13, another aged eight, and a third aged between 10 and 11.

He has been placed on the sex offenders' register after the case at Newcastle Crown Court and now faces the prospect of a jail sentence of up to 40 years. The victims kept the sexual acts suppressed until one victim made a statement to police.

Northumbria Public Protection Unit (PPU) officers and the area's Catholic Church safeguarding co-ordinator Fr Dennis Tindall helped the victims.

Corrigan was extradited from Ireland on October 24 after an appeal hearing in Dublin. The initial hearing had failed.

The retired priest, who was remanded on conditional bail until he is sentenced, was known as Fr Ben in North East England. Corrigan worked in parishes across Tyneside and County Durham. He also worked in America for a while.

Fr Tindall said: "It is a cause of great regret that a priest should appear in court to respond to allegations of harming children."

- Phil Campion

http://www.independent.ie

It's Time to Bring this 2000 Year Reign of Terror and Crimes to an End

Monday, November 26 2007 @ 10:46 PM CST