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Priest Heckled Outside Court


The Corkman Thursday April 07 2011 By MARIA HERLIHY

Fr Dan Duane

A RETIRED priest was verbally abused as he left court in Mallow on Tuesday morning, minutes after he was returned for trial on two counts of indecently assaulting two teenage girls when he served as a priest in the Diocese of Cloyne.

Fr Daniel Duane (73) of the Presbytery, Cecilstown, Mallow is charged with indecently assaulting the girls between September 1, 1980 and April 1, 1982. At Kanturk court, sitting in Mallow, Inspector Declan O'Sullivan confirmed that two separate books of evidence relating to both charges had been served on Fr Duane.

Outside the court a large crowd gathered and a young man shouted abuse at Fr Duane as he walked aided by crutches to a nearby waiting car. Fr Duane did not respond and got into the car.

Since his last court appearance in February, Fr Duane (pictured, right) has undergone a hip operation. A RETIRED priest was verbally abused as he left court in Mallow on Tuesday morning, minutes after he was returned for trial on two counts of indecently assaulting two teenage girls when he served as a priest in the Diocese of Cloyne almost 30 years ago.

Inspector Declan O'Sullivan of Kanturk Garda station told Judge Eamon O'Brien that a book of evidence has now been served on Fr Daniel Duane (73) of the Presbytery, Cecilstown, Mallow.

In February this year, Fr Duane was charged with two counts of indecently assaulting two teenage girls in Mallow between September 1, 1980 and April 1, 1982.

Judge O'Brien agreed to an application by Inspector O'Sullivan that Fr Duane be remanded on bail to appear before Cork Circuit Criminal Court on May 10.

Fr Duane sat behind his solicitor, Kieran McCarthy, and did not speak during the brief hearing at Kanturk District Court, now sitting in Mallow.

Fr Duane was flanked by friends and relatives as he walked out of court with the aid of two crutches after the brief hearing.

Outside the court, a large group of people gathered and a young man shouted abuse at him as he walked across the road to a waiting car. Fr Duane did not respond and got into the car.

Since his last court appearance in February, Fr Duane has undergone a hip operation.

http://www.corkman.ie/news/priest-heckled-outside-court-2613551.html