Pedophile Irish priest named in report as serial abuser of kids has been hiding in Scotland

Daily Record - Scotland December 12, 2009

Exclusive: Irish pervert priest's new life running B&B in St Andrews

by Keith Mcleod



A PERVERT priest who molested scores of children in Ireland is running a family-friendly bed and breakfast in Scotland.

Predator Bill Carney fled his homeland after he was unmasked as one of the worst paedophiles in the history of the Irish Catholic Church.

An official report says he was suspected of abusing up to 32 named victims and investigators believe there were many more.

But golf-mad Carney is now living free and unsupervised in the holiday town of St Andrews, where thousands of families take their kids every year.

He is not on the sex offenders register because he committed his crimes abroad.

Carney, now married, runs the Amberside guest house with wife Joan. The three-star B&B is in Murray Park, yards from the Old Course and the beach where children play.

He describes his business on his website as "a charming guest house with a traditional welcome". The accommodation includes "family rooms".

Carney poses as a pillar of the community. He has involved himself in the local hotel and guest house association as well as becoming a member of two local golf clubs.

His friends in the Fife town were horrified when the Record told them their pal was a paedophile.

One said: "Good grief. This is sending shivers down my spine.

"To think families stayed at that guest house all these years, never knowing about this man's past."

Carney, 59, became a priest in 1974 and used his position to get his hands on vulnerable children. He pestered his bosses in the Church for fostering opportunities.

The pervert toured children's homes with another shamed priest, Father Frank McCarthy, and ingratiated himself with the religious orders who ran them.

He attacked boys and girls from at least eight homes.

The report into the abuse of kids by priests in Dublin named Carney as "one of the most serious serial abusers" in the Archdiocese.

Its author, judge Yvonne Murphy, said: "Bill Carney is a serial abuser of children, male and female.

"The Commission is aware of complaints or suspicions of abuse against him in respect of 32 named individuals. There is evidence that he abused many more children.

"He had access to numerous children in care. He took groups of children on holiday. He went swimming with groups."

Carney also used kids as caddies on his frequent rounds of golf. Judge Murphy's report also raises fears that Carney was part of a paedophile ring with other priests.

She wrote: "There is some evidence suggesting that, on separate occasions, he may have acted in concert with other clerical abusers."

At least one of Carney's victims committed suicide.

Carney was convicted in 1983 of two counts of indecent assault but was let off with probation. The archdiocese paid compensation to six of his victims.

He continued as a priest until 1989, although he spent some t ime suspended or under restrictions.

He was finally kicked out of the priesthood in 1992. The Archdiocese paid him s30,000 to go quietly.

Carney worked as a taxi driver and carried on his love of golf. But he was kicked out of his club in the mid-90s when his past caught up with him.

He fled to England, where he worked in a bar and met his wife, before moving to St Andrews a decade ago.

The Irish authorities are still investigating Carney. And now they know where he has been hiding, they may bring fresh charges.

A serious crime unit last week began an investigation into whether Carney and his friend McCarthy led a paedophile ring in the 1970s.

It's believed the Dublin Archdiocese asked for the inquiry.

A source within the Irish authorities told us: "I guess it should be no surprise that Carney chose to set himself up in the home of golf.

"He was a disgrace to the priesthood - golf was more of a religion to him. And he didn't care about the children whose lives he ruined."

Told about Carney's record, one of his friends in St Andrews said: "I'm in total shock. I would never have believed him capable of this.

"He seemed so normal - a regular guy who loves his golf. I'm appalled to have called him my friend."

Carney's pals said he always seemed completely normal - except when there was a camera around.

One said: "He ducked out if a camera was nearby. He must have been terrified of being recognised."

Since Judge Murphy's report was published, there has been no sign of Carney in St Andrews.

He was due to come home from a Spanish holiday on December 6 but his guest house was in darkness last night with a "No Vacancies" sign.

He put the guest house up for sale a year ago - just before publicity began to come out about the Dublin sex abuse. The asking price is "around s655,000".

This article was found at:

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2009/12/12/exclusive-irish-pervert-priest-new-life-running-b-b-in-st-andrews-86908-21891716/