Outrage at Suspended Sentence
Added on March 1, 2005
Priest gets suspended term for abuse
01 March 2005 17:52
A former headmaster of the Dominican College in Newbridge, Fr Vincent Mercer, has been given a three-year suspended sentence for sexually abusing boys in his care.
Fr Mercer, 58, admitted indecently assaulting eight boys aged between ten and 13 years over a period of seven years.
The assaults took place in their beds in the dormitories, in his office, in the Co Kildare college infirmary while they were sick and at a holiday camp run by the Dominicans.
The priest took the stand and unreservedly apologised to his victims and their families for the harm and pain he had caused them.
The Provincial of the Dominican Order, Fr Pat Lucey, said afterwards that the order would not prevent Fr Mercer's victims from taking a civil action against them by invoking the Statute of Limitations.