GALWAY PRIEST GIVEN FOUR-YEAR SENTENCE FOR SEXUALLY ABUSING BOY IN SCHOOL
A priest from Galway has been sentenced to four years in prison after admitting to sexually abusing a teenage boy in a boarding school setting, citing a desire for personal satisfaction as the reason for his actions.The court, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, heard that Father Joseph Summerville, who was a friend of the victim’s family, recommended that the boy attend St Jarlath’s College in Tuam, where Summerville served as chaplain.
Det Sgt Seamus Ryan provided details that Summerville, 41, living at the Parochial House in Cortoon, had pleaded guilty to four of 15 charges, involving indecent assaults committed between January 1988 and December 1989 when the boy was around 13 or 14 years old.
According to the investigation, Summerville became an adviser to the boy, showing a particular interest in his academic work and sports, and during this time, engaged in inappropriate conduct including bathing the boy and touching him inappropriately, sometimes penetrating his anus with a finger.
The victim, who later attended college outside London, disclosed the abuse at age 21 in 1995, leading to an encounter with police, during which Summerville explicitly admitted to the allegations.
The priest expressed remorse, and after being confronted, he was so distraught that police removed his shotgun for safety reasons.
Following the confession, Summerville informed his bishop and was subsequently removed from parish duties, residing temporarily in a monastery.
The court was told that the victim’s demeanor changed markedly after the abuse started, reflecting increased withdrawal and self-blame, though he has since undertaken counseling to come to terms with his experiences.
His defense argued that Summerville was remorseful and undergoing treatment, with measures put in place to support his recovery.
Local community members highlighted his active involvement in church activities, including youth and senior citizens’ clubs, asserting that the pressures of parish work might have contributed to his behavior, a factor the court acknowledged as possible.
The judge permitted the media to identify Summerville and the school, reversing earlier restrictions, and emphasized the seriousness of the abuse, resulting in the four-year custodial sentence.
