A CO Donegal priest is seeking permission to bring an appeal to the Supreme Court against his conviction for raping a teenage parishioner in a church sacristy more than 20 years ago.
Fr Daniel Doherty (49), Derriscleigh, Carrigart, has argued the appeal raises important points of law which should, on grounds of exceptional public interest, be decided by the Supreme Court.
The legal issues raised include the admissibility of statements in a criminal trial which do not comply with the requirements of section 21 of the Criminal Justice Act.
Lawyers for Doherty applied to the Court of Criminal Appeal yesterday to certify the points of law as requiring determination by the Supreme Court. The three-judge court, with Ms Justice Fidelma Macken presiding and sitting with Mr Justice George Birmingham and Mr Justice John Edwards, reserved its decision to next week.
Earlier this year, the court dismissed his appeal against his 2006 conviction on two charges of raping the then 13-year-old girl in 1985.