Northern Ireland

Special police unit to be estabished for Fr Malachy Finegan abuse investigation

Paedophile priest Fr Malachy Finegan died in 2002
Paedophile priest Fr Malachy Finegan died in 2002 Paedophile priest Fr Malachy Finegan died in 2002

POLICE investigating the crimes of paedophile priest Fr Malachy Finegan have said a special unit will probe whether anyone else abused boys at the Newry grammar school where he taught.

Finegan, who died in 2002, was a parish priest of Clonduff in Hilltown, Co Down as well as a teacher and later president at St Colman's College.

A total of 18 people have now come forward to report they were abused by the priest.

The PSNI said last night it is trying to discover if children were abused by any other person at the school while Finegan worked there between 1967 and 1987.

Officers will also probe when authorities first became aware of Finegan's crimes, what action was taken to protect children and what information, if any, was reported to the RUC.

In a statement last night, police said they will "establish and take action against any living offender, from that time, and importantly assess if there are any current child safeguarding risks".

Officers will also establish whether any child safeguarding lessons can be learned from the case.

Police asked anyone who was abused by Finegan or any other person at St Colman's to contact them.