Inquiry into gay images in doubt after theft of laptop

The Irish Times - Friday, April 13, 2012


CONOR LALLY

An inquiry being carried out by the Archdiocese of Armagh into how gay pornographic images were “inadvertently” shown by a priest to a group of parents and one child has apparently been derailed after the laptop at the centre of the matter was stolen from the priest’s house.

The computer is believed to have been the only item stolen and the PSNI has made a public appeal to help solve the crime.

On March 26th a number of gay images were shown during a slideshow about children’s First Confession. The priest said he had no idea where the images came from and the memory stick on which they were placed was used by a number of people.

The images, which caused concern to those present, were immediately removed from the screen. There is no suggestion they were of minors and no suggestion they were illegal.

However, an internal inquiry was established by the archdiocese to establish how the images came to be shown on the laptop. That inquiry has now been thrown into doubt.

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Priest at centre of gay images storm granted temporary leave

The Irish Times - Monday, April 23, 2012

GERRY MORIARTY, Northern Editor

A CATHOLIC priest embroiled in controversy over the display of gay pornographic images has taken temporary leave from his duties as parish priest of Pomeroy in Co Tyrone.

Fr Martin McVeigh requested and was granted temporary leave by Primate of All-Ireland Cardinal Seán Brady after a meeting in Pomeroy between local parents and representatives of the archdiocese of Armagh on Friday night proved “inconclusive”.

The archdiocese has been conducting an inquiry into how the images were “inadvertently” shown by the priest to a group of parents and one child on March 26th.

During a powerpoint presentation about children’s first Confession gay images were shown. The priest said he had no idea where they had originated and that the memory stick on which they were located was used by several people.

The images were removed from the screen, Cardinal Brady said in a statement in early April.

“The priest has stated that he had no knowledge of the offending imagery. The archdiocese immediately sought the advice of the PSNI who indicated that, on the basis of the evidence available, no crime had been committed,” said Cardinal Brady at the time.

There was no suggestion that the images were of minors and no suggestion they were illegal.

Since then the computer laptop in question has been stolen from Fr McVeigh’s house. The PSNI have appealed to the public for information to help establish the circumstances behind the theft.

Another attempt was made to resolve the issue during Friday’s meeting, but many parents remained unhappy.

The Catholic Communications Office said a further meeting will take place on the matter and that Fr McVeigh, at his own request, had asked for temporary leave and this was granted by the cardinal.

Priest apologises over gay porn

irishtimes.com - Last Updated: Sunday, April 29, 2012, 18 :10

KILIAN DOYLE

A Catholic priest from Co Tyrone who "inadvertently" displayed gay pornographic images to a group of parents and a child has issued an unreserved apology.

The images were shown on a screen by Fr Martin McVeigh, the parish priest of Pomeroy, during a PowerPoint presentation at St Mary’s Primary School about children’s first Confession on March 26th.

The images were on a memory stick he had stuck into a laptop he was using.

In a statement today, Fr McVeigh said he “deeply” regrets his failure to check his presentation in advance.

“I had no knowledge of any offending imagery existing in it. After the images were inadvertently shown, I immediately removed the memory stick from the laptop,” he said. “In my shock and upset and in my concern to ensure that the images would never be shown again, I destroyed it later that evening.”

There was no suggestion that the images were of minors or in any way illegal.

Fr McVeigh said he accepts the incident was very serious and caused much anxiety and distress.

“I apologise unreservedly for the hurt caused. I want to assure you, however, that I was not responsible for the presence of the offending images and in this respect I ask you to accept my innocence.”

Fr McVeigh said he has asked the Archbishop of Armagh, Cardinal Seán Brady, for permission to leave the parish and take sabbatical leave. “The memory of this awful episode will remain with me for the rest of my life,” he said

In a statement, Dr Brady said he had agreed to the request “on the understanding that he will, on its completion, return to the diocese”.

He also apologised for the incident, which he described as “traumatic” for both the parish and for Fr McVeigh.

Since the incident, the laptop in question has been reported stolen from Fr McVeigh’s house. The PSNI have appealed to the public for information to help establish the circumstances behind the theft.

Dr Brady said two other computers in the sacristy and computer equipment in the parish office and Fr McVeigh’s parochial house had been examined as part of a diocesan inquiry. “These have been forensically examined by an independent technical expert and no inappropriate imagery has been found,” he said.

Priest in pornographic images controversy granted sabbatical

The Irish Times - Monday, April 30, 2012

UNA BRADLEY

THE CATHOLIC priest at the centre of a dispute over gay pornographic images has been granted a sabbatical from his parish in Co Tyrone.

Fr Martin McVeigh has been caught up in controversy since the images flashed up on a screen during a presentation to parents in Pomeroy on March 26th – at which a child was also present – in preparation for First Communion.

The priest said he “deeply regretted” the incident and his failure to check the presentation in advance.

He said he had no idea how the images came to be on the memory stick he was using and that others had access to the stick. Fr McVeigh said the last month had been “the most difficult of my life”.

An inquiry by the diocese has been carried out. One laptop has been reported to the PSNI as stolen from the parochial house since March 26th.

Fr McVeigh had already been granted temporary leave by Cardinal Seán Brady, but in a statement read to parishioners in Pomeroy at Mass yesterday, it was revealed he would be taking a longer break.

It also noted that the priest “deeply regretted my failure to check, in advance, my presentation” as he had no knowledge of offensive images.

“After the images were inadvertently shown, I immediately removed the memory stick from the laptop. In my shock and upset and in my concern to ensure that the images would never be shown again, I destroyed it later that evening.”

Fr McVeigh apologised unreservedly for the hurt caused and asked parishioners to accept his innocence. “The memory of this awful episode will remain with me for the rest of my life,” he added.

Cardinal Brady said the computer equipment removed from parish property had been “forensically examined by an independent technical expert and no inappropriate imagery had been found”.

He said: “I agree with the parishioners of Pomeroy that this offensive incident has caused anger and genuine concern . . . I join with Father McVeigh in expressing sorrow and regret.”

The cardinal said the diocese would work to ensure that procedures were put in place for the proper monitoring of computers.

He also confirmed that Fr McVeigh was expected to return to the parish after his leave of absence, the length of which was not made clear.