Man to receive £500,000 damages following alleged assaults by Malachy Finnegan

The plaintiff, who is not being named, sued the Diocese of Dromore and the Board of Governors at St Colman’s College.

The alleged attacks took place over a five year period when the plaintiff was a pupil at St Colman's during the 1980s.

It was claimed that the boy was groomed by Finnegan for the purposes of an abusive sexual, physical and emotional relationship.

Court papers said that the boy was was sexually assaulted in a series of locations, including the vestry, priests’ corridor and lounge, the nuns’ chapel and the President’s business office.

It was also alleged that the priest choked the boy, punched him and slapped him, while lawyers claimed that Finnegan surreptitiously put vodka in the plaintiff's drink before molesting him.

The alleged assaults led to the boy becoming suicidal and at one stage he considered burning down the priests' chapel.

Claims for negligence, assault, battery and trespass to the person were made against the defendants.

David Ringland KC (counsel for the plaintiff), told the High Court this week that £500,000 plus costs were to be paid to his client.

The defendants made no admission of liability.

Claire McKeegan of Phoenix Law said afterwards: “This settlement is a welcome vindication for our client who was repeatedly sexually abused as a young boy by the former President of St Colmans College.

“Malachy Finnegan was a priest of the Catholic Church who resided in the college. For three decades he acted under the protective cloak of the Church.”

Ms McKeegan added: “For children like my client, there was no escape from his campaign of terror.

“The pain and suffering is lifelong for children who have been violated in this grotesque manner by those in positions of trust.”