Friday, May 04, 2012

US lawyer abused by Brendan Smyth says Seán Brady should be criminally investigated

A victim of Fr Brendan Smyth has said Cardinal Seán Brady should not only resign but be investigated by secular authorities for possible criminal charges.

US lawyer Helen McGonigle was abused by the paedophile priest in the late 1960s in Rhode Island.

Speaking to BBC Ulster this morning, Ms McGonigle said she was "outraged" by Cardinal Brady's response to allegations in a BBC documentary broadcast this week.

‘The Shame of the Catholic Church’ claimed that Cardinal Brady did not pass on information about abuse to families of children involved.

Ms McGonigle said he had shown "arrogance and insensitivity".

The lawyer said the events of 1975 came after Smyth "had destroyed" her family, but said she had great sympathy for those who suffered in subsequent years.

Ms McGonigle said Cardinal Sean Brady's "duty as a human" was to protect children. 

She said the failure to act properly on Brendan Boland's complaint was "unforgivable".