Ex-priest further sentenced over child abuse

Ex-priest further sentenced over child abuse

A 71-year-old former parish priest who is serving 19 years for sexually abusing several children has been sentenced to another consecutive sentence of five years in prison for raping and abusing another child.

Denis Nolan, formerly of The Presbytery, Rathnew in Co Wicklow, carried out the offences in Dublin and Wicklow over a six year period.

Mr Justice Paul McDermott described Nolan as a predatory offender in a position of trust, authority and respect, who groomed and exploited the boy from the time he was 11 years old and took steps to ensure his silence.

Nolan, the judge said, destroyed the boy’s life and future with no regard for the crippling damage he was inflicting with actions that were the very opposite of his duty under his Christian faith

Nolan was also sexually abusing and raping other children at the time, but Mr Justice McDermott said that each offending against another victim had to be marked separately; each victim required separate and distinct consideration because each separate and distinct victim represented another life damaged.

He said the sentence today had to be consecutive

Nolan is currently serving 19 years in prison, which with remission is 14 years and three months.

He was due for release in June 2028, but the judge said today’s sentence had to be consecutive.

He adjusted down the eight year sentence to five years to begin on completion of his other sentences on 19 June 2028.