Judicial compensation actions filed against the pedophile priest Malachy Finegan face delays due to the church and school that fight for payments

Twelve actions presented by alleged victims of a pedophile priest face months of delay due to a legal division between the Catholic Church and the Co Down school where he taught, according to the Superior Court.

Claims on historical assaults inflicted by the late Malachy Finegan were suspended after the Domore diocese and St Colman’s College will now be represented separately as accused sets.

A judge was told that the cases that appear for the hearing this month may not be ready for the hearing to autumn based on a distinction between the roles of the alleged abusers as clergy and teachers.

A former grammar school student in Newry later described the postponement of his demand as “deeply hurtful.”

The Diocese and the Board of Governors of St Colman’s have been jointly sued by a catalog of alleged assaults perpetrated by Finegan.

The priest taught and worked at school from 1967 to 1987, spending the last decade as its president.

He was accused of a long campaign of child sexual abuse, but was never prosecuted or interrogated by the police about the claims made against him before his death in 2002.

In 2018 it was learned that Dromore’s diocese had resolved a previous claim made by one of his alleged victims.

At that stage, the school condemned physical, sexual and emotional abuse inflicted by Finegan while working there.

Since then, a series of compensation claims have been resolved, with damages paid to the plaintiffs who said the priest prepared them and abused them.

In all related actions so far, the diocese has paid to cover the costs of the agreements.

But in the Court on Monday, the lawyer of a man who alleges that Finegan attacked him between 1979 and 1981 revealed that the defendants were looking for a postponement because separate law firm will be presented in other procedures.

Patrick Lyttle KC said: “The diocese now challenges the previous arrangements and says that the university should assume the responsibility of these and other statements.”

A lawyer who represents the Board of Governors of the School, explained that a new interpretation arose last month.

“The diocese said:” Historically we have been dealing with these cases based on the fact that abuse was supposedly perpetrated by Fr Finegan and other religious people, “Brian Kc presented.

“But they began to see that part of this abuse was supposedly perpetrated in their roles as teachers, therefore, the trust and the Board of Governors should assume part of the responsibility.”

Mr. Fee told the court that a total of 12 similar actions have been identified.

“Being realistic we will not be able to deal with these cases on this side of summer,” he added.

When describing development as unfortunate, Mr. Justice Mcaldenen indicated that the demands are currently not ready to be included in the trial.

Requesting an additional update in three weeks, the judge added: “The distribution of any fault among the defendants (for the delay) is something that will have to deal with.”

Outside the court, one of the alleged victims, who have been granted anonymity, said it was the second time that their claim for damage has been returned.

“The position taken is deeply painful. Emotional abuse is ongoing and all I want is to be heard and have this badly in what is wrong, ”he insisted.

His lawyer, Claire McKen of Phoenix Law, declared: “This case was ready for the trial a year ago, but now the problems arise at the eleventh hour to hinder the dates of our client’s audition.

“The diocese has said publicly that they regret the management of the Finegan Abuse scandal, but it seems hollow for our clients when such tactics unfold to deny them that receive justice.”