A RETIRED priest has been returned for trial by judge and jury on two counts of indecently assaulting two teenage girls while serving in the diocese of Cloyne in Co Cork about 30 years ago.
Fr Daniel Duane (73), the Presbytery, Cecilstown, Mallow, is charged with indecently assaulting one of the girls in Mallow between September 1st, 1980, and April 1st, 1982.
Fr Duane is charged with indecently assaulting the second girl on a separate occasion in Mallow, also between September 1st, 1980, and April 1st, 1982.
At Mallow District Court yesterday, Garda Insp Declan O’Sullivan confirmed that two separate books of evidence relating to the two charges had been served on Fr Duane by Det Garda Colman Murphy of Mallow Garda station.
Garda Insp O’Sullivan said the Director of Public Prosecutions had consented to the matter being dealt with by way of indictment at Circuit Court level and he applied to have Fr Duane sent forward for trial to the next sittings of Cork Circuit Criminal Court, starting on May 10th.
Judge Eamon O’Brien granted the application and returned Fr Duane for trial at the Washington Street courthouse in Cork on that date.
Learning that gardaí had no objection to bail, Judge O’Brien remanded Fr Duane on continuing bail of €500.
Fr Duane, who recently underwent a hip replacement operation and attended court on crutches, was granted legal aid.
