Aylesbury priest charged with sex attacks on juveniles
- Published
A Catholic priest has been charged with 20 sex offences committed against children in Buckinghamshire and Norfolk in the 1970s.
Father Francis McDermott, 75, from Bideford in Devon, is accused of rape and indecent assault of boys and girls.
He is due before High Wycombe Magistrates' Court on 4 October.
Charges include rape of a girl under 16 as well as gross indecency and indecent assault on boys and girls under the age of 14.
Attacks are alleged to have happened between 1971 and 1978 when both Buckinghamshire and Norfolk were part of the Diocese of Northampton.
Fr McDermott later worked at Our Lady of Lourdes church in Aylesbury which is still part of the diocese and he withdrew from active ministry in 2005.
Bishop Peter Doyle said the diocese will cooperate with court proceedings.