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A Catholic priest found guilty of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl in England revealed to the court that he was in a secret 14-year marriage with a former parishioner.
William Finnegan, 59, said he kept the civil marriage a secret from the church and his parishioners.
Finnegan, known to his parishioners as Father Bill, was parish priest at St Clare’s Church in Bradford when the girl accused him of forcefully kissing her.
His barrister told the jury: “You may be thinking that he is only human, that Father Bill, as a Catholic priest, has taken a vow of celibacy, condemning himself to a single and lonely life filled with perhaps an underlying sexual frustration….
“Well, we are going to hear evidence from Father Bill and we are going to be hearing evidence from his wife, Beverley Dawson.
“No, you didn’t mishear me. His wife. He and Beverley Dawson secretly married abroad in September 1999. So deeply in love was he that he was prepared to ignore the Catholic Church’s ban on marriage, a secret which has been kept from almost everyone until now.”
“Whatever the outcome of this case, his ministry as a Catholic priest is well and truly over.”
Judge Roger Thomas, QC, asked Finnegan: “Your public announcement of this today is news to everyone?” Finnegan said: “It is, and I will be dealt with.”
The judge asked: “Did you think it would compromise your position as a priest, to carry out communion and so on and so forth, or wasn’t that an issue?” Finnegan said: “It wasn’t an issue.”
In evidence, Dawson said her husband would visit her each week after his church service on Sunday, then go back to work on Tuesday.
The apostolic administrator of Leeds diocese, Monsignor John Wilson, said: “I first want to express my deep sense of shame at the actions of William Finnegan. I also want to express my sorrow and regret to his victim.”
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Image: The Telegraph
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