A south inner city man who falsely alleged he was buggered by a priest giving him prayer tuition for his First Holy Communion has been sentenced to four years following a plea for mercy for him from the victim at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Paul Anderson (34) of Crumlin Park, Crumlin and formerly of Fatima Mansions and Iveagh Trust Flats, New Bride Street, was found guilty earlier this month by a jury of making a false statement to Det Garda Brian Kavanagh at Kevin Street Garda station, Dublin on June 18th, 2003, that acts of indecent assault and buggery were committed on him by the priest in the period February to May 1981.
The jury returned its 10-2 majority guilty verdict after it had been deliberating for almost six hours, having spent one night in a hotel.
Judge Ryan said the court had considered letters and testimonials as well as medical evidence on behalf of Anderson on his suicide tendencies including an overdose he took before his trial was first due to come before the court.
She noted also the further submission by defence counsel, Mr Damien Colgan BL, that Anderson had no previous convictions and had a good work record.
Judge Ryan said the aggravating factor was that his false claim was planned to try and extract money from the Church and the court had to mark the seriousness of the offence by imposing a four years sentence.
The priest said his ordeal had given him "a deeper insight into the mind of Christ" who had also been falsely accused.
"And since his standard of forgiveness was 'seventy times seven times' then surely I must be able to find it in me to forgive Paul Anderson - which I now do - and I do so wholeheartedly.
"So may I sincerely ask that this be taken into merciful consideration by the Court when sentence is being passed," he said.