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Fr.
Daniel Doherty pictured after the Jury found him guilty of
raping a 13 year-old |
A
CATHOLIC priest who served in St Gregory's church in Bearwood is
expected to be jailed in October, after being found guilty of raping
a teenager in a church sacristy more than 20 years ago.
Daniel Doherty, aged 48, a priest from Carrigart, Co Donegal, had denied
twice raping the 13-year-old girl in 1985.
Doherty was convicted in Ireland's Central Criminal Court and has been
remanded on conditional bail.
He served as a priest at St Gregory's from 1999 to 2003 and it was
during this time the allegations against him were made.
Doherty left the Archdiocese of Birmingham to return to Raphoe, in
County Donegal, to face the charges.
Speaking after Doherty was convicted The Most Reverend Vincent Nichols,
Archbishop of Birmingham, said: "I was distressed and dismayed
when I learnt of the charges and convictions brought against Fr Daniel
Doherty in Ireland.
"Many who will have known him during his work in the Archdiocese
will feel similarly upset even though they relate to events which took
place in Ireland over 20 years ago.
"I offer my prayers and support to the parish and school of St
Gregory's, Bearwood, in Birmingham, and I ask them to keep in their
prayers all those who have been affected by these events."
During Doherty's trial the court was told how the priest first assaulted
his victim in December 1984 after offering her a lift home.
A year later when the teenager was alone with him in a church sacristy,
he raped her in a toilet.
He raped her a second time in the sacristy when she went to confession
and indecently assaulted her on a third occasion.
During the six-day court hearing, Doherty denied the charges against
him and claimed nothing untoward had happened. He has now been placed
on the sex offenders list.
A spokesman for the Archdiocese of Birmingham said: "Nothing whatsoever
was known of these matters when he came to the Archdiocese of Birmingham.
During his time here no such anxieties or concerns ever arose."
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