Clergyman who abused girls 30 years ago is sent to the High Court for sentence Past catches up with priest

Now Terry could face a minimum of three years in jail for the offences against four young girls 30 years ago. His solicitor, Mr John O'Donnell, claimed the offences could be dealt with

by probation, a fine, and

compensation.

Terry, who is hard of hearing, looked confused and shaken when Sheriff William Fulton told him at Inverness Sheriff Court: ''This was a particularly gross breach of trust, using your offices as a minister of religion for sexual gratification. I do not believe my powers extend to dealing with your case. I am remitting you to the High Court for sentence.''

Sheriff Fulton continued bail for Terry, who is likely to be dealt with in the new year. No date has been fixed for sentence.

Earlier, in his plea of mitigation, Mr O'Donnell pointed out that the offences had taken place more than 30 years ago -''half a life-time away'' - and there was no evidence that Terry had re-offended after the last incident.

He told Sheriff Fulton: ''No physical injury or worse was perpetrated, and, if there was psychological damage, it was limited in time and did not require any professional or other counselling in later life for the victims.''

It was only after the scandal of runaway Bishop Wright last year that the first abuse victim came forward to tell of her experiences in the 1960s when she was a schoolgirl.

That triggered a chain of events which led to three other women coming forward to reveal the shameful past of Terry, who is now living with a housekeeper in a church charity house in Crichton Road, Rothesay.

Mr O'Donnell, who had earlier apologised on behalf of his client for the ''heartache and distress'' caused to his victims, said: ''A feeling of rancour by one of the victims following the revelations about Bishop Wright's sex life led her to complain to police.

''In fairness to Roderick Wright, it was he who secured Canon Terry's resignation as a parish priest. Whether the church itself should have reported matters at that time is another matter altogether.''

He added that the chances of Terry re-offending were ''absolutely zero'' and there was more chance of his mental and phsyical health collapsing through the

possibility of a jail sentence.

Oban-born Terry, who retired as a canon in 1994, confessed to four charges of using lewd, indecent, and libidinous behaviour and practices towards four girls when they were aged from eight to 11 years old, over a period from July 1963 to June 1971.

The court was told at an earlier hearing last month that the incidents occurred in the vestry at St Muns RC Church, Ballachulish, and a room in the Church of the Good Shepherd, Kinlochleven.

One of the canon's victims, now aged 41, reported the matter to police after the disappearance of Bishop Wright, unhappy that she had confided in Bishop Wright and the Roman Catholic Church, and nothing had been done about her allegation of sex abuse by Joseph Terry.

The woman also confided in a relative who revealed she had been similarly abused by Terry. After publicity when Terry appeared in court earlier this year, two other victims came forward.

Father Tom Connelly, press officer for the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, said: ''We are naturally saddened when we hear of incidents such as this.

''But we are glad that the church took immediate action, and because we now have child protection officers in every diocese, we are hoping that there will be no further incidents of this nature.''

He said that under the recently introduced system, the child protection officer, an independent lay person appointed by the church, would investigate any allegations and if they were found to be ''real'' the inquiry would be passed to the authorities.

''It is to avoid any suggestion of a cover-up. The child protection system is in line with what is planned in other churches, and comes in the light of all that is happening in society in general.''