Scotland: high court overturns priest’s conviction
January 22, 2014
The highest criminal court in Scotland has overturned the conviction of Father Mark Paterson, a Carmelite friar found guilty in 2006 of indecent assault.
“The university’s Catholic Society maintained that there had been a gross miscarriage of justice,” according to a Catholic World Report article. “Father Paterson appealed his conviction on the grounds that he did not receive a fair trial, due to the negligence of his solictor and the advocate who had represented him. For example, three important witnesses had not been called to give their testimony in Father Paterson’s defense. Only at this week’s appeal were two of the witnesses allowed to testify.”
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Further information:
- Monk Mark Paterson has Aberdeen indecent assault conviction overturned (BBC)
- Catholic Chaplain’s Conviction Overturned (Catholic World Report)
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