Priest 'was gambler not abuser'

Father Jeremiah McGrath denies the charges

A Catholic priest accused of helping his friend sexually abuse a girl was more interested in gambling than children, a court heard.

Father Jeremiah McGrath allegedly gave money to William Adams, 38, a sex offender originally of Belfast, to buy gifts for a girl, 11, from Liverpool.

The 62-year-old denies three counts of facilitating the commission of a child sex offence and one of sexual assault.

Fr McGrath, of County Fermanagh, is on trial at Liverpool Crown Court.

Adams, used the money to set up home in Liverpool and buy gifts for the girl, in order to abuse her, the court has told.

Blackpool holiday

The jury previously heard Adams has been convicted of raping an eight-year-old girl.

Mr McGrath, of Rosslea, Co Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, is alleged to have known what Adams was doing and provided the cash.

Now aged 14, the girl gave evidence in court via a video link.

Trevor Parry-Jones, defending, asked her about a holiday in Blackpool which she took with Adams and two members of her family.

Mr Parry-Jones asked the girl if it was correct that Mr McGrath joined them for the third week of the holiday, and she said it was.

'Large bets'

The girl agreed that Adams' behaviour changed during the later part of the holiday, from spending time in shops and fairgrounds, to being in bookmakers' shops, placing large bets with the priest.

Mr Parry-Jones said: "The two of them were constantly going off to put money on horses, weren't they?

"They weren't betting the odd 5p or 10p, were they? These were big notes and a lot of notes, weren't they?"

The girl agreed.

She also agreed with Mr Parry-Jones when he said the priest was more interested in spending time with Adams than her and her family.

The case continues.