Clerical abuse survivor urges to stop using character references in sex offence cases

A survivor of clerical abuse has called on the Justice Minister to stop or restrict the use of character references in court, especially in cases involving sexual offences against children.

Tony Gribben, who suffered abuse at the hands of Catholic priest Fr Malachy Finegan, cited a 2022 incident in the Diocese of Dromore where two priests provided character references for a man convicted of sexual offences against children. The victim's family chose not to comment publicly but were reportedly "outraged" by the action.

Mr. Gribben, founder of the Dromore Group representing survivors of clerical abuse, described the incident as a "safeguarding failure." He expressed concern given the diocese's documented history of abuse and recent cases involving Fr Finegan. "I was shocked that priests would provide references for a convicted paedophile in a diocese with such a significant history of abuse," he said.

He added that he expected safeguarding policies to prevent such actions. Mr. Gribben raised the matter with Archbishop Eamon Martin, the Primate of All Ireland, prompting the creation of guidelines for clergy approached to give references in court proceedings.

A Catholic Church spokesperson explained that, with input from a survivor, the Archdiocese of Armagh had previously prepared guidance for clergy to avoid causing further harm to victims. This guidance has been shared with the Dromore diocese clergy and is available on the diocesan website.

Mr. Gribben is urging Justice Minister Naomi Long to address the issue of character references in the ongoing review of sentencing guidelines.

The use of character references in sexual offence cases, including rape and abuse, has been a subject of debate in Northern Ireland. Earlier this year, SDLP councillor Brian Tierney was suspended for providing a reference for Kielan Mooney, jailed for eight-and-a-half years for raping a woman in Dublin. Tierney later withdrew the reference, stating he had been unaware of the severity of the charges, and apologized to the victim.

The Department of Justice noted that character evidence can play a role throughout criminal trials, not just at sentencing, and emphasized that individuals should act responsibly when asked to provide such references.

Author: Logan Reeves