Eamonn Crossan (73), a former priest of the Diocese of Raphoe, appeared via videolink from Castlerea Prison before Judge John Aylmer at Letterkenny Circuit Court on Wednesday morning after pleading guilty to historic sex offences.
He pleaded guilty to nine of a total of 96 charges relating to the victim on dates in the late 1980s and early 1990s at named locations in County Donegal.
The state entered a nolle prosequi in relation to 44 charges at Letterkenny Circuit Court, while the guilty pleas related to seven charges of indecent assault and two charges of indecent assault.
At sentencing on Wednesday, Judge John Aylmer sentenced Crossan to five years in prison, with the final 12 months suspended.
The court previously heard how the victim endured dozens of incidents of sexual abuse by Crossan over a five-year period when he was aged between 10 and 15, some of which took place at the boy's home.
At an earlier hearing the victim, who was accompanied to court by his wife, read out a powerful victim impact statement and told Crossan; “I hope you return to where you came from.”
The victim said he was deprived of the sense of a normal childhood and had to fight hard against his demons to function day to day because of the abuse he suffered.
When he saw the name of the same priest who had abused him for years in the news, he said that “every word felt like a slap in the face.”
“After today, I'm not going to let you steal another day of my life,” the victim said.
'I hope you return to the place you came from.
“If there is a god, then there is certainly a hell, and that is what awaits you.”
The court heard Crossan regularly visited the victim's family home and the first incident took place while the boy was staying with Crossan to care for him when he had flu.
The victim indicated at the time that he was in bed, wearing pajamas and did not remember seeing Crossan masturbating, but saw that he had exposed himself.
In a statement, the victim said the abuse progressed quickly and Crossan would touch and sexually assault him.
The victim said the abuse had normalized, but he was unsure how often the abuse occurred.
He said he went to bed in his pajamas and sometimes woke up with nothing on.
He recalled an incident when he came out of the bathroom and he was met by Crossan who rubbed against him and mentioned sword fighting.
He said there would be hugging and kissing in the clerk's room and a sacristy while he was an altar boy.
The victim said that one time he was in a bed that Crossan got into and the victim told him that he didn't like the things he was doing to him.
At the earlier hearing, Fiona Crawford BL for the prosecution said this marked the end of the abuse.
In 2021, the victim told his wife about the abuse and reported it to gardaí.
The court heard that Crossan made certain admissions during interrogation, but disputed some of them.
He told gardaí that the victim was 'fun to be with.'
Crossan said it was a friendship because he needed affection but denied a sexual element.
In relation to previous convictions, the court heard that Crossan was convicted of sexual assault of a child in 2021 and was sentenced to three years in prison, with the final 12 months suspended.
Mr Peter Nolan BL (defending) told the court that Crossan was generally cooperative but used various wording that played down the allegations.
Mr Nolan said Crossan could have been released from prison in August 2022, but he was in custody over the matter as he had nowhere else to go as no provision had been made by the family or the church.
The court heard Crossan had minimized his culpability for sexually assaulting the victim, saying the victim's statement was 99 per cent untrue and insisting his actions were not sexually motivated.
Mr Nolan said Crossan maintained his position that nothing sexual happened and explained that he had previously attended the Granada Institute following a report of abuse and had undergone a sex offender treatment programme.
Crossan was removed from the priesthood in 1998 and he was allowed to remain in the accommodation and was transferred to Kildare in 1999 until he was jailed in January 2021.
However, the house in Kildare has been sold and he is worried about his future as he has no family or friends.
A risk assessment placed him in the category of medium risk of reoffending, while he was deemed unsuitable for community service due to his health problems.
A governor's report describes him as a fortified inmate who poses no problems for staff or management, has no disciplinary problems, attends school in prison and works in horticulture.
Mr Nolan said he fully accepts that this has been a difficult situation for the victim and understands that the victim has been deeply affected by his actions.
During the sentencing hearing on Wednesday, Judge Aylmer explained that Crossan is in court having pleaded guilty to seven charges of indecent assault and two charges of indecent assault.
He explained that the plea deal for the nine charges is representative of 52 charges of such crimes during the period March 1987 and December 1992.
In sentencing, Judge Aylmer said the aggravating features of the case were the young age of the minor victim, who was between 10 and 15 years old. The evidence showed that the victim was sexually abused on a weekly and sustained basis over a period of almost six years. period, and the suspect's position of authority as a priest.
The judge found that the offense constituted a serious breach of trust and that the more serious offenses regularly involved the victim trespassing while in bed with the suspect, caressing the child's genitals while the suspect masturbated himself.
Judge Aylmer said the sexual abuse had a devastating psychological impact on the child and it is an impact that continues to weigh on him as an adult.
Judge Aylmer said the most serious cases of indecent assault, which related to touching the child's genitals, carried a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. He placed the crime in the middle range, earning six years in prison before mitigation was possible.
In relation to the assault, Judge Aylmer placed it in the middle of the criminal range and said a sentence of three years was deserved before the sentence was mitigated.
Regarding the counts involving kissing on the lips and hugging, Judge Aylmer placed them at the bottom of the midrange of offenses and said they deserved a three-year sentence before any reduction in sentence.
While a further charge relating to kissing and cuddling resulted in an 18-month prison sentence.
In mitigation, Judge Aylmer said a plea was entered on the day of the trial and he acknowledged it was a late plea, but said it should still be recognized because it spared further trauma for the victim.
In relation to the confessions, Judge Aylmer acknowledged that these were limited, but there was evidence that some admissions had been made, but this was somewhat tempered by a probation report stating that he had no empathy for the victim and had little remorse.
The judge said that at the previous hearing, Mr Peter Nolan told the court that when the defendant heard the victim's impact statement, for the first time he seemed to have some insight into the impact his offending had had on the victim.
Judge Aylmer said the suspect remained in custody following a sentence for a similar conviction, which was completed on August 4, 2022.
He added that he had been granted bail but had nowhere to go as his family had no contact or support and he had no accommodation available.
Judge Aylmer said Crossan pleaded guilty to the previous offense in 1998, served a sentence and acknowledged being expelled from the priesthood and sent to the Granada Institute, which is also being considered in mitigation.
However, he added that it appears that due to the limited admissions, remorse and empathy shown in this case, attending the Ramada Institute does not appear to have been very effective.
Judge Aylmer also noted that the defendant was 73 years old, had been committed to a prison setting and had been subject to a positive governor's report.
Taking these mitigating factors into account, Judge Aylmer reduced the main sentence from six years in prison to one of five years in prison.
The remaining sentences must be served concurrently.
The judgment will take effect retroactively on August 4, 2022.
Judge Aylmer said that given the defendant's age and his continued need for rehabilitation and reintegration into society, he said he would suspend the last twelve months of the five-year sentence, resulting in a total of four years' imprisonment .
Crossan was ordered to enter a bond of €100 to keep the peace and not be of good behaviour.
He must also remain under the supervision of the probation service for the 12 months following his release, comply with probation guidelines, attend appointments and keep the probation service informed of any changes in address or contact details.
He was also ordered not to come into unsupervised contact with young people or children in connection with work, leisure or sporting activities.
Following the conviction, the Diocese of Raphoe issued a statement apologizing to the victim and calling on other victims to come forward.
Monsignor Kevin Gillespie, Diocesan Administrator of the Diocese of Raphoe said: “Today in the Letterkenny Circuit Court, Eamonn Crossan, a former priest of the Diocese of Raphoe, was convicted of crimes committed against a minor.
“On behalf of the diocese and with a deep sense of shame for his actions, I sincerely reiterate my apologies to his victim.
“I am aware that the search for justice is only part of the journey towards healing, but I nevertheless hope that the vindication provided by today's sentencing will in some way support them, their family and friends and will provide comfort.
“I encourage anyone who may have been abused, or is suspected of any abuse, to immediately report it to state authorities or the diocesan Safeguarding Office.
“If you would like to report a concern or complaint about child abuse, current or historical, please contact Margaret Northage, the designated liaison officer for the diocese, on 086 2183 011.
“Free advice and support is available through Towards Healing, an independent organization that provides professional support to people who have suffered institutional, church or religious abuse in Ireland. Freephone number 1800 303416,” said Monsignor Gillespie.