Former Donegal priest to be sentenced after assaulting young girl

An ex county Donegal priest is to be sentenced tomorrow morning at Donegal Town Circuit Court after pleading guilty to three counts of indecent assault against a female.
83-year-old Con Cunningham of Glen Road, Carrick pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault against the female on dates between January 1st 1976 and December 31st 1976 at a location in Donegal.
The defendant also pleaded guilty to a similar third count that occurred at an unknown location between Donegal and Dublin on dates between January 1st 1976 and June 30th 1977.
Donegal Town Circuit Court was told the 83-year-old stopped the car a number of times during the trip to Dublin, sexually assaulting the female.
The State entered a nolle prosequi on two other counts on the indictment.
The court was told the defendant was very friendly with the girl’s family and on another occasion the girl saw the defendant with her younger sister on his knee and shouted at him to stop.
The victim made a statement of complaint on January 2nd 2013.
The defendant initially denied the allegations.
Defence counsel said “apart from this appalling matter he was held in very high esteem by his parishioners” and that he understood what he did was “vile and wrong” and has “remorse for the fact that he ruined this girl’s life”.
A Probation Report had assessed him as being at a low risk of re-offending.
He has been places on a Sex Offenders Register.
The counsel asked the court to consider the lapse of time, the defendant’s age and his mental state.