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25/05/2007
Priest found guilty of facilitating child sex offence
A County Fermanagh priest has been found guilty of facilitating a child sex offence against a 12-year-old girl.
The jury at Liverpool Crown Court heard Father Jeremiah McGrath, 63, from Rosslea gave more than £20,000 to convicted child rapist William Adams. He then spent the money grooming the girl from Liverpool.
However, he was found not guilty of a second charge of facilitating. The jury have not decided on an indecent assault charge and a third facilitating charge. He has been taken into custody as he awaits the other verdicts.
The priest had claimed the money was linked to gambling addiction, and he had no idea the girl had been abused.
Adams, 38, originally from Belfast has been accused of raping the girl repeatedly over a six-month period in 2005.
He is due to be sentenced at a later date.
(JM/SP)
The jury at Liverpool Crown Court heard Father Jeremiah McGrath, 63, from Rosslea gave more than £20,000 to convicted child rapist William Adams. He then spent the money grooming the girl from Liverpool.
However, he was found not guilty of a second charge of facilitating. The jury have not decided on an indecent assault charge and a third facilitating charge. He has been taken into custody as he awaits the other verdicts.
The priest had claimed the money was linked to gambling addiction, and he had no idea the girl had been abused.
Adams, 38, originally from Belfast has been accused of raping the girl repeatedly over a six-month period in 2005.
He is due to be sentenced at a later date.
(JM/SP)
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