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Priest jailed for sex attacks

May 13 2008 By Graeme Whitfield

A shamed Catholic priest was jailed for four years today for a string of sex attacks on children.

Father John Benedict Corrigan, 72, sexually exploited his position as a priest to abuse three boys and a girl 40 years ago.

Despite the grave allegations being reported to the Catholic Church, nothing was done - and instead the victims themselves were blamed.

Corrigan was extradited from Ireland to the UK to face justice for the attacks on the children at the church in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear.

The three altar boys and the girl were all members of the same parish where Corrigan worked as a curate between 1967 and 1975, Newcastle Crown Court was told.

* For more on this story, see tomorrow's Journal.

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