A priest accused of indecent assault on a 10-year-old boy was found not guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court yesterday by order of Judge Anthony Murphy who told the jury he was making the decision for legal reasons.
The victim, now aged 29, told the court the alleged incident happened at his home when the priest, a family friend, stayed overnight and shared a twin-bedded room with him. He had "blocked out" the incident but remembered it about six years ago when talking to a friend about abuse.
The 69-year-old priest, now living in Co Kerry, denied the abuse and said he stayed with the family once, to say Mass in the house, and slept alone in a room with twin beds.
Judge Murphy told the jury that for legal reasons he had decided the case "wasn't sound enough" to go to them.