Wife sobs as priest is jailed for sex attack: Secret bride to stand by disgraced Catholic cleric

William Finnegan argued he had 'active sex life' and would not assault a girl



But judge sentenced him to six months for assaulting 17-year-old girl

Despite conviction, many of his parishioners have continued to support him

Judge showed his displeasure at congregation's blind faith in him



The secret wife of a Roman Catholic priest made it clear she is standing by him yesterday as he was jailed for sexually assaulting a teenage girl parishioner.

William Finnegan, 60, and 48-year-old Beverley Dawson held hands and kissed outside court as he arrived for sentence.

And the divorced mother of two sobbed as her husband was given six months.



Jailed: William Finnegan appeared distraught outside Bradford Crown Court, where he wassentenced to six months in prison



During his trial at Bradford Crown Court, Finnegan revealed he had duped his parishioners and the church authorities by marrying Mrs Dawson abroad, and secretly living with her for part of the week.

The revelation of his broken vows was made as part of his defence – arguing he enjoyed an ‘active sex life’ with his wife rather than being a sexually frustrated celibate priest who would assault a girl.

Despite Finnegan’s conviction last month, many of his parishioners have continued to support him and turned against his 17-year-old victim.

Passing sentence, Judge Roger Thomas, QC, showed his displeasure at the congregation’s blind faith in him and his lack of remorse.

He said: ‘It seems to me he can’t face up to what he has done. It may be he cannot lose face amidst so much shame for those who still respect him.

‘Many of his supporters might believe that the sun would rise in the west tomorrow if he said it would.’

Couple: The former Catholic priest with Beverly Dawson, whom he secretly married

‘Father Bill’ was the parish priest at St Clare’s Roman Catholic Church in Fagley, Bradford, when he pounced on his blonde victim on Easter Sunday last year.

He touched her bottom and passionately kissed her.

Two days later he visited her home to tell her he had sexual feelings towards her. Finnegan claimed she instigated the kiss.

Yesterday the judge told him he had undoubtedly given ‘real and beneficial religious and pastoral support’ to many during his 30 years as a parish priest, even though he was in breach of his vow of celibacy for more than a decade.

Embrace: The couple kissed in front of photographers as they arrived at Bradford Crown Court

But he told Finnegan he ‘took the chance to act out your sexual desires’ on the teenage worshipper.

The judge said his victim had been affected physically and spiritually by the priest’s lies.

She was left feeling ‘nauseated’ and ‘scared’ after the sex assault. ‘You’ve also caused real damage to the wider church community, particularly the Catholic Church, and at a time when such churches can ill afford such damage.’ As well as serving his jail term, Finnegan must also sign the sex offender register.

Referring to a victim impact statement written by the girl, prosecutor Heather Weir said she felt ‘abandoned and alone and bereft’.



Assault: St Clare's church in Bradford, where Finnegan attacked a 17-year-old female parishioner

The statement read: ‘Father Bill was my priest, who I trusted and someone who was supposed to guide me through my faith, and this has all been taken from me. I’ve not felt able to go to my family church because I can’t cope with the animosity.’

Finnegan voluntarily stopped working as a priest after being charged and the Catholic Church says his career is over.

Jeremy Hill-Baker, defending, said he had written a suicide note and overdosed on a cocktail of liquid morphine and whisky in September last year. ‘He’d stopped breathing and only because his wife knew CPR did she manage to revive him,’ said Mr Hill-Baker.

‘It was an attempt to take his own life – this was not what is sometimes called a cry for help.’