Courts / Dublin / Report
Man who told sisters abuse would be a 'favour' before entering priesthood is jailed for eight years
Summary
Richard Brennan, 64, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court after pleading guilty to 24 counts of sexual abuse against his three sisters. He admitted to 18 counts of indecent assault and six counts of rape. The charges included four indecent assaults and four rapes against Paula Faye (aged 13-17) between 1978 and 1981; 13 indecent assaults and two rapes against Catherine Wrightstone (aged 9-14) between 1980 and 1984; and indecent assaults against Yvonne Crist (aged 20) between 1979 and 1980. Mr Justice David Keane imposed a global sentence of nine years, backdated to March 18. The judge suspended the final 12 months of the term on condition that Brennan engages with the Probation Service for one year upon release. No post-release supervision order was imposed. Earlier this month, his brother Bernard Brennan, 67, was jailed for four and a half years after admitting to 11 counts of indecent assault against Yvonne Crist and Paula Faye between 1972 and 1975. Bernard's global sentence of nine years was also backdated to March 18. Both men have no previous convictions.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Man who told sisters abuse would be a 'favour' before entering priesthood is jailed for eight years. Charges or matters: 24 counts against his three sisters, including 18 of indecent assault and six charges of rape; four sample charges of indecent assault and four rape charges against Paula Faye on dates between January 1978 and December 1981 when she was aged between 13 and 17 years old; 13 sample incidences of indecent assault and two charges of rape against a second sister, Catherine Wrightstone, on dates between June 1980 and December 1984 while she was aged between nine and 14 years old; indecent against the oldest of the sisters, Yvonne Crist, when she was about 20 years old on dates between June 1979 and June 1980; 11 counts of indecent assault in various locations within the State between 1972 and 1975. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- January 1978 Incident
- December 1981 Incident
- June 1980 Incident
- December 1984 Incident
- June 1979 Hearing Or Sentence
- March 18 Incident
- 1972 and 1975 Incident
- 2025-07-14 Publication
Why: He asked her for sex as he said he was not able to have sex with any girl because he was going to be a priest. CNI source report
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: 11 counts of indecent assault in various locations within the State between 1972 and 1975 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Bernard Brennan (67), formerly of Rathfarnham, Dublin, but most recently also residing in the United States, was jailed for four and a half years after he admitted to sexual abuse of both Yvonne Crist and Paula Faye. A global sentence of nine years was backdated to March 18 last when Brennan first went into custody.
Applicant
Charges: 24 counts against his three sisters, including 18 of indecent assault and six charges of rape; four sample charges of indecent assault and four rape charges against Paula Faye on dates between January 1978 and December 1981 when she was aged between 13 and 17 years old; 13 sample incidences of indecent assault and two charges of rape against a second sister, Catherine Wrightstone, on dates between June 1980 and December 1984 while she was aged between nine and 14 years old; indecent against the oldest of the sisters, Yvonne Crist, when she was about 20 years old on dates between June 1979 and June 1980 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Photo: Collins) By Sonya McLean and Fiona Ferguson A seminarian who told his sisters they would be doing him a favour if they had sex with him as he was entering the priesthood and had sexual urges has been jailed for eight years.
Defendant
Charges: 24 counts against his three sisters, including 18 of indecent assault and six charges of rape; four sample charges of indecent assault and four rape charges against Paula Faye on dates between January 1978 and December 1981 when she was aged between 13 and 17 years old; 13 sample incidences of indecent assault and two charges of rape against a second sister, Catherine Wrightstone, on dates between June 1980 and December 1984 while she was aged between nine and 14 years old; indecent against the oldest of the sisters, Yvonne Crist, when she was about 20 years old on dates between June 1979 and June 1980 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Earlier this month another brother, Bernard Brennan (67), formerly of Rathfarnham, Dublin, but most recently also residing in the United States, was jailed for four and a half years after he admitted to sexual abuse of both Yvonne Crist and Paula Faye.
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
Topics
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