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Historical Abuse Inquiry: Irish police 'aware' of Smyth abuse in 1970s Historical Abuse Inquiry: Irish police 'aware' of Smyth abuse in 1970s
(about 1 hour later)
Police in Dublin were aware of a notorious paedophile priest's child sex abuse as far back as the early 1970s, an inquiry has heard. Police in Dublin were aware of the abuse by a notorious paedophile priest as far back as the early 1970s, an inquiry has heard.
Northern Ireland's Historical Abuse Inquiry has been examining the activities of Fr Brendan Smyth.Northern Ireland's Historical Abuse Inquiry has been examining the activities of Fr Brendan Smyth.
New evidence has shown that police were aware of his activities more than 20 years before he was convicted.
The inquiry heard on Monday that Smyth admitted he could have abused hundreds of children.The inquiry heard on Monday that Smyth admitted he could have abused hundreds of children.
Smyth was convicted of more than 100 indecent assaults against children over a 40-year period. Smyth was at the centre of one of the first clerical child sex abuse scandals to rock the Catholic church in Ireland.
He was convicted in the 1990s of more than 100 indecent assaults against children over a 40-year period.
He died in prison in 1997 after a heart attack.He died in prison in 1997 after a heart attack.
Diagnosis
For years, authorities had been trying to get access to documents regarding Smyth held by St Patrick's Hospital in Dublin.
The hospital had been treating Smyth in 1973.
On Wednesday, the documents were presented to the inquiry, revealing that he was initially being treated for "homosexual problems".
He was later diagnosed as "suffering from paedophilia", and gardaí (Irish police) were aware of that diagnosis.
Throughout the Smyth scandal and the continuing inquiry, the widely-held view has been that only the church had knowledge of the priest's offending and that it had covered it up.
The inquiry is examining child abuse allegations in church, state and voluntary children's residential institutions dating back to 1922.The inquiry is examining child abuse allegations in church, state and voluntary children's residential institutions dating back to 1922.