An appeal by a Catholic priest jailed for three years for indecently assaulting four Dublin altar boys in the 1980s was heard by the Court of Criminal Appeal yesterday. Judgment was reserved.
Mr Justice Barron, presiding at the three-judge court, said he hoped to deliver a decision soon.
Thomas Naughton (68), who was ordained a member of St Patrick's Missionary Order, Kiltegan, served in Nigeria and Grenada from 1963 until 1976, when he returned to Ireland. He was in court for the appeal against the three-year sentence imposed in July last year by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
The trial court was told the church authorities were informed in November 1985 of abuse of the first victim in Donnycarney church. Naughton was sent to a treatment centre in England.
On return he was sent to a church in Ringsend, Dublin, although his counsellors felt he had limited insight into his offences. Further offences occurred there. The priest was returned to the clinic.
From 1988 until his conviction last year, he lived in the headquarters of St Patrick's order, caring for elderly members. He was supervised outside the house and was attending counselling.
The church authorities contacted gardai about the offences in October 1995.
At the circuit criminal court he pleaded guilty to six charges of indecently assaulting the altar boys while serving as a priest of the Dublin Archdiocese, on dates from 1984 to 1988.
During the trial Naughton apologised "to the young men and their families for the damage I have done". He also apologised to the church and his order.
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