Ex-priest receives suspended jail term for breaching order

Ex-priest receives suspended jail term for breaching order

4 January 2023

A FORMER Newcastle priest with convictions for abusing children has been given a suspended jail sentence for breaching a court order.

Daniel Curran (72), of Bryansford Avenue, admitted breaching a lifelong Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) when he visiting Tollymore National Activity Centre.

At Downpatrick Magistrates’ Court on Thursday he was given a three-month jail sentence, suspended for three years.

Passing sentence, District Judge Steven Keown said a pre-sentence probation report showed a “depressing lack of insight and minimisation of his behaviour”.

A prosecution lawyer said Curran went to the activity centre outside Newcastle on August 12 last year with “books for dissemination”.

Curran was recognised by staff, who leafed through the books, realised they were “filled with sex references” and called the police, the lawyer continued.

The books had been written by Nicholas Russell, a pseudonym previously used by Curran to write books.

Defence lawyer Noel Dillon said Curran had left books at the centre five or six years previously without any complaint being made.

“There is no claim that he was in direct proximity to any children,” he said.

Mr Dillon remarked that Curran “had it in his mind the centre was more adult-orientated”.

“It’s been pointed out to him that children do attend there and he has resolved never to books there again,” he continued.

Mr Dillon said Curran had only breached his SOPO on one other occasion since he was placed under supervision in 2009.

He added that that there was no likelihood of him reoffending and asked the judge to “leave something hanging over his head”.

Judge Keown said he was satisfied the breach “crossed the custody threshold”, but given the early guilty plea he would suspend the jail sentence.

However, he warned: “If he does this again he will be looking at custody.”

In 2018, Curran was sentenced to 200 hours of community service for the indecent assault of a 12-year-old boy which took place at Curran’s cottage near Tyrella Beach in 1991.

He had previously served time in jail for abusing boys over a number of years.