FORMER TEACHER HAS BEEN JAILED TODAY FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES AGAINST PUPILS
UPDATE 12/09/2025 A priest has been jailed for seven years for eight counts of historical indecent assault against four boys.Canon Patrick McEntee, 71, from Esker Road in Dromore, County Tyrone, was described by the judge at Dungannon Crown Court as a "predatory paedophile" who abused children in his care.
The assaults dated back to the late 1970s through to the late 1980s and involved boys aged between 11 and 17.
McEntee, who was a teacher at St Michael's College in Enniskillen, took the boys into his private quarters where some of them were made to sit on his knee or touched inappropriately.
'Complete lack of remorse' Judge Greene told the court the priest presented himself to those he was not abusing as a caring Christian man, but was in fact assaulting children who were in his care.
Some of the boys were given sweets by McEntee after he abused them.
In June, he was convicted on eight counts of indecent assault against four boys, which took place between 1988 and 1989.
Defence lawyers for the 71-year-old had previously told the court he was a man of good character with no prior convictions.
The court heard the former religious studies teacher intended to appeal against his convictions.
He continues to deny the offences.
Sentencing McEntee, Judge Greene said the priest had shown a complete lack of remorse and that it had taken courage for his victims to come forward.
He said the abuse had left an indelible mark on the victims and had deeply affected their lives and education.
McEntee was described as presenting a medium risk of reoffending and will be on the sex offenders register for the rest of his life.
Judge Greene added: "The victims have all been affected significantly by their experiences at the hands of this defendant.
"Some of the victims articulated a dislike for the school and desired to get away from it as soon as possible.
"One left to go to a different school to get away – he left school with one O-level and believes the experiences adversely affected his education.
"It must have done so for all the victims in this case." ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................
A prominent priest has been convicted of multiple counts of historical indecent assault, involving four young boys, in a case that has sent shockwaves through the community of Dromore, County Tyrone.
Canon Patrick McEntee, aged 71 and residing on Esker Road in Dromore, faced a total of nine charges related to inappropriate conduct dating back to the late 1970s.
The allegations spanned over a decade and involved boys aged between 11 and 17, with the court hearing detailed accounts of abuse that occurred during that period.
McEntee, who served as a teacher at St Michael's College in Enniskillen, vehemently denied all accusations brought against him.
The court was told that the priest would take some of the boys into his private quarters, where inappropriate touching and other forms of misconduct allegedly took place.
The jury found him guilty on four counts of indecent assault involving one boy between 1988 and 1989.
Additionally, he was convicted on a single count of indecently assaulting a second male between 1980 and 1981.
Further charges included three counts of indecent assault involving two other boys, with incidents spanning from 1978 to 1987.
McEntee was acquitted on one other charge of indecent assault against a different boy.
The prosecution outlined that during the late 1970s and into the 1980s, Canon McEntee engaged in abusive behaviour towards young boys who were pupils at St Michael's College.
The court was informed that the jury would need to decide whether the priest's actions were acts of pastoral care or indicative of sexual deviance.
The victims recounted their experiences, describing how the abuse was ongoing and how some were made to sit on the priest's knee or were touched inappropriately.
One victim described being abused.
