Courts / Wicklow / Report
Priest who raped boy he'd paid to do gardening is jailed
Summary
Denis Nolan, a former priest aged 64, was sentenced to eight years in prison for six counts of oral rape, defilement and sexual assault of a boy aged 10‑11 between 2005 and 2006. He had previously been convicted of sexually abusing another child in 2006 and was defrocked. The court found Nolan had groomed the victim by offering garden work and paying him €10‑€15, later increasing the amount after abuse began. He made inappropriate remarks about puberty, encouraged online sexual content, and progressed to fondling, oral rape and assault in his home, the presbytery and a car. The final rape in the presbytery caused injury requiring surgery. The victim, now 24, suffered PTSD, anxiety, depression and ongoing health problems. Nolan will serve his sentence concurrently with a four‑year post‑release supervision order. The case was prosecuted by Conor Devally SC and defended by Conor McKenna BL. The sentence was imposed by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Priest who raped boy he'd paid to do gardening is jailed. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- 2005 and 2006 Incident
- 2007 and 2012 Incident
- 2017-05-15 Publication
Why: The court heard he finds it difficult to hold down a job or to function on a day-to-day basis, and that he avoids his friends and social events because he feels he "just doesn't fit in". Court evidence reported by CNI
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Outcome: Denis Nolan (64), formerly of The Presbytery, Rathnew, Co Wicklow, is already serving a sentence for sexually abusing a different child six years ago and has since been defrocked. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy imposed sentences of eight years for the rape offences and sentences of four years for the other.
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
- Midlands Prison
Topics
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