THE solicitor for the paedophile priest, Father Brendan Smyth, said yesterday that his client would not have to face a third hearing in the North, but that the prosecuting authorities in the Republic had not yet made clear their intentions concerning additional complaints made there.
Mr Denis Maloney said that his client was coming to the end of his sentence and was attempting to plan for his future. He was anxious to know what the Southern authorities intended to do about the complaints made there, which had been very fully investigated by the Garda.
Father Smyth was sentenced to three years' imprisonment at Belfast Crown Court last September for offences involving abuse of children. He was already serving a four year sentence for previous offences.
Mr Maloney said his client was due for release from Magilligan prison, Co Derry, next March, but there was a question of parole from December.
Within the past few weeks, the Northern authorities had interviewed his client again about a number of additional complaints. "I have now been informed that the file is complete and that there will not be a third hearing there," he said.