Ex Donegal priest sentenced to 9 months after assaulting girl

An ex county Donegal priest has been sentenced to nine months in prison today after pleading guilty to three counts of indecent assault against a female.
In jailing 83-year-old Con Cunningham of Glen Road, Carrick, Judge John Aylmer said he did not accept that the offences were at the “lower end of the scale”.
An ex county Donegal priest who was held in the “highest esteem”, who had “simulated sex” with a young girl as he drove her to Dublin in his car, was jailed for nine months today at Donegal Town Circuit Court.
The judge said that while no penetration had taken place the ex- priest had simulated oral sex.
The judge said given the defendant’s position of authority as a priest and accepted by the family, this was “a grievous breach of trust against the young girl and her family”.
83-year-old Con Cunningham, 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 and to a similar third count that occurred at an unknown location between Donegal and Dublin on dates between January 1 1976 and June 30 1977.
The State entered a nolle prosequi on two other counts on the indictment.
Cunningham has now be placed on the Sex Offenders Register.
Judge John Aylmer initially imposed a sentence of 15 months but suspended the final six and the ex priest was bound to be of good behaviour and keep the peace on his own bond of €100 for a year.