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Donal O'Regan, 16 Jun
ONE of the most well-known priests in Limerick was a “sexual predator”
who groomed and sexually assaulted a teenager in parish houses in Croom
and Kilfinane, in St Patrick’s College, Maynooth, on trips abroad, and
in hotel rooms after concerts, Limerick Circuit Court heard.
Terence (Terry) Loughran, aged 63, with an address at Ballyduane,
Clarina, but is a native of the city, pleaded guilty to seven counts of
sexual assault on the boy between May 1998 and January 2001.
The victim was aged between 14 and 17 at the time while the then Fr
Loughran was in his late 30s.
Prosecuting barrister John O’Sullivan, instructed by State Solicitor
Padraig Mawe, outlined the case with the assistance of Detective Garda
David Boland.
Mr O’Sullivan said on July 31, 2017, gardai received a notification
from the Limerick diocesan office of historic sex abuse following a
complaint by the victim. The barrister said Mr Loughran, who was
“defrocked” in 2013, had denied the charges after he was arrested in
2019.
A trial commenced last year with Mr Loughran pleading not guilty. He
changed his plea to guilty after the victim gave evidence in the
witness box but before he was cross-examined.
Mr Loughran, known as a “singing priest” who performed in concerts, was
before Judge Tom O’Donnell for sentencing on Friday last - prison
sentences totalling four and-a-half years were imposed.
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‘Egregious breach of trust’: judge
The victim got to know the accused while he was a curate in Corpus
Christi in Moyross.
“On May 15, 1998, the victim, aged 14, went to a Lighthouse Family
concert in Dublin with Fr Loughran who was 37. Another youth went as
well. They stayed in Bewley’s Hotel in a room booked by Fr Loughran.
They all stayed in one room. The other youth slept in a single bed and
the victim and the accused slept in a double bed. Fr Loughran started
grinding his penis at the top of the victim’s backside. The victim
remembers Fr Loughran’s penis was hard. Fr Loughran’s face was close to
the back of his head and he could feel his breath. He rolled over in
the bed to move away. The accused moved away.
“The next thing the victim remembers is his underpants had been taken
down and Mr Loughran was stroking the victim’s penis. Fr Loughran was
masturbating himself. He started spooning the victim again and
continued masturbating,” said Mr O’Sullivan.
When gardai put the allegation to Mr Loughran he “denied it completely”
and “found it disgusting”.
On the way to a different concert the victim had fallen asleep in the
front passenger seat.
“He felt the accused’s hand down his underpants touching his penis. He
woke up but didn’t open his eyes. He was afraid of what might happen or
what would be said. He was not afraid of being hurt - it was that Mr
Loughran might use it to his advantage. The victim moved and Fr
Loughran took his hand out,” said Mr O’Sullivan.
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Victim Impact Statement: Did people ever ask why is he taking me away
so often?
Fr Loughran and the victim stayed in St Patrick’s College, Maynooth
where the ex-priest was ordained.
“The victim woke up to the accused sucking his toes. He was leaning
over him - they were sharing a bed. The victim’s eyes were not open. Fr
Loughran was masturbating over him - he could feel his testicles. The
accused had his fingers on the victim’s penis. He was stroking and
masturbating the victim’s penis. He put his mouth on the victim’s
penis. The victim moved to make him stop. He took the victim’s right
hand to touch the accused’s penis. The victim moved to make him stop.
He took the victim’s right hand and put his fingers in his mouth. The
accused sucked and gently bit the victim’s fingers. The victim’s eyes
were not open - he suspected Fr Loughran was masturbating himself as
the bed was shaking,” said Mr O’Sullivan.
Fr Loughran denied that the victim ever stayed in St Patrick’s College
but may have visited. Det Garda Boland said gardai took a photo of a
picture of Fr Loughran’s ordination class on a wall that the victim
said the then priest showed him. Photos taken by gardai of the bedroom
with a timber floor also corroborated the victim’s allegation as did a
story Fr Loughran told the victim about a room that was “boarded up
forever” as a seminarian died by suicide in there in the 1800s.
A further sexual assault occurred in Kilfinane parish house where Fr
Lougran was assigned after Moyross. Mr O’Sullivan said the victim and
accused were in a double bed.
“He was over him. He could feel a gold chain hitting off his chin and
neck area. He moved and the accused jumped off the bed and left the
room,” said Mr O’Sullivan.
Mr O'Sullivan said the victim tried to stay awake as long as possible
as he suspected what was coming.
Mr O’Sullivan said “similar” sexual assaults occurred on a skiing trip
in Andorra, as well as on a camping trip in Fanore, in a hotel room in
Dublin following a Bryan Adams concert, in a hotel room following a
Lord of the Dance show, in a hostel in Glasgow following a Celtic
match, in Croom parish house and in a campsite in Paris.
Mr O’Sullivan said: “The victim did not agree to any of these events.”
The prosecuting barrister said Mr Loughran received a three year
sentence in 2020 after he was convicted by a jury for sexual assaults
and gross indecency on a different victim. His release date was January
2023 but he has remained in prison on remand. Colm Hennessy BL, who
represented Mr Loughran, said there were a number of aggravating
factors including his position of trust and authority as a priest.
“Mr Loughran arranged certain events, he invited the victim to attend,
he was responsible for setting up the accommodation and it was not a
coincidence the victim was in the same bedroom and, indeed, in the same
bed on a number of occasions. The phrase grooming has been used and it
is utterly appropriate because the victim was totally blameless and had
no control over the arrangements being made and was totally exploited,”
said Mr Hennessy.
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Bishop Brendan Leahy meets with victim of sexual assaults
“He does unequivocally accept his guilt in relation to these offences.
He is sorry and wants to acknowledge the hurt, harm and damage caused
to the victim and he hopes he can get on with his life.
All of his life’s work is completely overshadowed by the offending. He
is a convicted sex offender,” said Mr Hennessy.
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HELPLINES
If you have been affected by this or any of the associated articles,
please contact the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre 24-Hour National Helpline
at 1800 77 8888. They offer a free and confidential listening and
support service for anyone who has been raped, sexually assaulted,
sexually harassed or sexually abused at any time in their lives. CARI
(Children at Risk in Ireland) provides child-centred therapy for
children and adolescents who have been affected by sexual abuse 0818
924567