Catholic priest accused of sexual assault
fathered children of victims, court hears
Revelation emerges at hearing for Anthony Odiong, 55, charged with several counts and held in Texas on $5.5m bail
A Roman Catholic priest with links to Texas and Louisiana who is facing criminal charges for allegedly abusing his position of authority within the church to pursue sex with vulnerable women fathered at least two children with them, authorities have alleged.
The stunning information about Anthony Odiong surfaced at a bail hearing on Tuesday in Waco, Texas, where prosecutors have charged him with several counts of sexually assaulting women to whom he ministered.
Odiong requested a reduction of the $5.5m bail on which he is being held in custody. But a judge denied that request after prosecutors established Odiong had communicated plans to flee to his native Nigeria if he were released – while simultaneously airing the most complete account yet about the alleged double life he had built.
Authorities are not interested in Odiong’s status as a father in the biological sense because Catholic clergymen are required to abstain from sexual activity. Instead, they perceive the children as proof that Odiong had a pattern of pursuing women he met in his role as a priest, which is a felony in Texas.
DNA evidence presented at the hearing concluded there was a more than 99.99% chance that Odiong was the “father of offspring who was created as a direct result of [a] sexual assault … committed against a known survivor” in the US. Prosecutors on Tuesday asked Waco police detective Bradley DeLange – who has been investigating Odiong for months – at the hearing whether the clergyman and the alleged victim who birthed one of his children had engaged in sexual intercourse within the last calendar year.
“Yes,” DeLange said. “They shared a pregnancy scare in June.”
Officials also made reference to a second child fathered by Odiong – a minor the Guardian has reason to believe is living in Nigeria. Both children, younger than 18, were born during Odiong’s career in the priesthood, which began in the 1990s and saw lengthy stretches under the command of Catholic church officials in Texas’s capital, Austin, and adjacent Louisiana’s best-known city, New Orleans.
Odiong, 55, is facing a total of five charges of sexual assault in the first degree and two more such counts in the second degree in connection with three separate women. DeLange testified that he had confirmed nine alleged victims of Odiong’s across the US and abroad – and had two others that he had identified as recently as Tuesday morning. There is no indication that any of the three women at the center of the charges against Odiong are the mothers of his children.
Yet prosecutors and police believe Odiong’s progeny was relevant because the mother of at least one of the children gave birth during the period of time that he allegedly committed his charged crimes.
He could face life imprisonment if convicted of any of the first-degree charges.
Plans to flee
While some of Tuesday’s hearing focused on Odiong’s children, other parts dealt with his ability to flee to Nigeria – and therefore beyond Waco authorities’ reach – if given the chance.
DeLange testified under oath in a two-hour hearing that Odiong was constructing a luxurious home in his native Nigeria to which he could flee if he were to be granted bail. He also has a wealth of money – including from congregants who still believe in his innocence – that could aid any potential escape from the law. But exactly how Odiong has accumulated his wealth is the subject of a parallel, ongoing financial crimes investigation, Texas law enforcement officials said in a separate statement. Many of the priest’s past congregants packed a courtroom gallery on Tuesday.
According to DeLange, Odiong sees himself as above the Catholic hierarchy and has managed to raise substantial funds directly from his congregants through claims of healing and spiritual guidance. Prosecutors asked the detective if he was forcing his followers to donate to his defense. DeLange said it wasn’t forced, but did describe the situation as “an abuse of faith”.
Some of Odiong’s followers confirmed their aid for him was indeed not forced, testifying on Tuesday that they would be able and willing to contribute up to $25,000 to cover their priest’s bond.
“He is a dear friend of myself and my family,” said Rose Ann Vanek, who testified she would assist Odiong financially if he were to be released. While she testified, she grinned at Odiong, who smiled and nodded back. “Thank you, father,” she said. “We love father.”
DeLange further testified that Odiong had placed monitored calls from jail to his followers, telling them that he planned to escape to Nigeria if he managed to get out. Citing the content of the calls, DeLange added that the faith doctrine Odiong preaches to his followers – which implements non-Catholic religious beliefs – predicts an imminent apocalyptic “coming of the apostles” in Africa.
Odiong intends to eventually speak directly with Donald Trump and advise him on that apocalypse, DeLange testified.
He attended Tuesday’s hearing in handcuffs and a black and gray jail jumpsuit. A naturalized US citizen with an American passport, Odiong has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
Odiong’s attorney insisted on Tuesday that his client would not be able to flee the country because his Nigerian passport had expired. Judge Thomas West rejected that argument, keeping Odiong’s bond amount at $5.5m.
Not every past Odiong congregant at the courthouse was there to support of him. Nonetheless, West’s ruling prompted one spectator to gasp, “Are you kidding me?”
The Waco civil attorney, Robert G Callahan II, who is representing some of Odiong’s accusers, issued a statement Tuesday hailing West’s decision.
“The denial of bond sends a critical message that abuse of power and trust will not be tolerated,” Callahan’s statement said, “and it marks an important step toward justice.”
The Spiritual Gifts, such as Discernment, are not, to my knowledge, practiced in Catholic churches. They require a personal experience of the Holy Spirit. Discernment is missing in most Christian churches in the West.
There is more on this story on the Guradian at:
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Other evasive maneuvers
West Virginia youth pastor faces dozens of child sex abuse charges dating back decades
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A youth pastor in West Virginia has been arrested on dozens of sex charges involving children in three counties, some involving relatives dating back more than three decades, state police said.
John W. Radcliff II was arrested last week on 190 counts including sexual assault, sexual abuse and incest, state police said in a news release. His wife, Kathy Radcliff, is charged with knowing the alleged abuse occurred, the statement said.
The alleged crimes occurred in Braxton, Lewis and Harrison counties. State police said the investigation “remains ongoing with more victims coming forward” and that additional charges are pending.
John Radcliff, 57, is being held on $1.7 million bond, and Kathy Radcliff is being held on $75,000 bond. Both are at the Central Regional Jail in Sutton.
John Radcliff appeared for a preliminary hearing Friday in Lewis County Magistrate Court. James Hawkins Jr., who represents Radcliff in the Lewis County case, said those charges involve alleged crimes against five of his nieces that occurred between 1987 and 1996 and were unrelated to Radcliff’s association as a youth pastor.
Radcliff “is adamant about his innocence and looks forward to the opportunity when he can present a defense on these charges,” Hawkins said in a telephone interview.
Online records didn’t indicate whether Kathy Radcliff, 52, has an attorney who could comment on the charges against her in Lewis County.
The state police statement said Trooper R.C. Watson began investigating John Radcliff in October stemming from an investigation that another trooper began in 2004. The statement didn’t detail the results of the 2004 investigation. WDTV-TV reported no charges were filed at the time. Watson didn’t immediately return a telephone message Tuesday.
“We’re trying to figure out what happened with the (2004) case and why it wasn’t pursued then,” Hawkins said.
Christian Brother 'to die in jail' after new abuse sentence
A Christian Brother and former school principal is expected to die in prison after being sentenced to a further 10 years in jail for historical child sex abuse.
The offences were committed on dates between 1964 and 1991 while the 89-year-old worked at four schools in Belfast, Newry and Armagh.
He is already serving a prison sentence having been previously convicted on two separate occasions of sexual offences against children in his care.
He will begin serving his latest sentence in May 2026 when his current sentence ends.
In total, he has been convicted of 72 counts involving 18 victims across three trials.
Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Det Ch Supt Fisher said that "there is no doubt that Dunleavy’s victims were let down by those who should have protected him".
"There is only one place for Dunleavy and that is behind bars. He will die in prison."
Dunleavy is still a Christian Brother despite his convictions.
Which tells you a lot about the Christian Brothers. Are they even the least bit Christian?
The Christian Brothers is a Roman Catholic lay organisation formed more than 200 years ago for the purpose of educating Catholic boys.
BBC News NI asked the organisation if they had a response to his victims' calls for both an apology and clarity from them on what they knew about his offending, and when.
The organisation has declined to comment, but said: "The congregation cannot comment on matters that are the subject of ongoing proceedings."
'A career littered with shattered psyches'
Judge Patrick Lynch said Dunleavy had consistently denied responsibility for his crimes.
The judge said he could only attribute those denials to "a malign stubbornness and an unwillingness to admit to such persons as may have believed in him that he is a child molester".
“Most notably, perhaps, members of his family whom I’m told are still supportive of him," he added.
The judge said the world would have been a better place had he "not served a lifetime in religious and public service".
“His teaching career has been littered with the shattered psyches of his victims.”
Judge Lynch said Dunleavy, who the court heard has a life expectancy of about four years, felt he could conduct his predatory behaviour with impunity.
He praised the nine victims in the case for their bravery in coming forward, adding that he hoped their actions would deter those tempted to commit similar crimes and "save children, in the future, from having to undergo what you have suffered".
'Lasting psychological damage'
Speaking outside court, PSNI Det Ch Supt Lindsay Fisher said Dunleavy "used his trusted position as a respected and influential member of the community to carry out his offending".
"He abused young boys in school, home and other public spaces. We now know that Dunleavy’s abuse has even involved multiple children within the same family, causing untold, lasting psychological damage," she added.
She added that police believe there may be more victims "who have not yet had the confidence to speak to us".
"It doesn’t matter when the abuse happened. We will still investigate and work to bring abusers before the courts as we have done today," she added.
Calculating predator'
In a statement after the sentencing, acting head of the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) Serious Crime Unit Catherine Kierans, who prosecuted the case, said Dunleavy is a "calculating predator".
"He is now an elderly man, but when he committed these offences, he was a dominant and intimidating figure who instilled fear in his victims.
"He exerted control in the most despicable ways over young boys with whose care he had been entrusted as a teacher and a school principal."
Ms Kierans paid tribute to the courage and dignity of Dunleavy's victims.
Two of them have shared their stories with BBC News NI. Both wanted to remain anonymous.
'You realise the monster is in school'
James, not his real name, was abused while at St Aidan's Primary School in west Belfast.
It was the 1970s and the Troubles were raging on the streets outside the school, but the danger, he said, lay inside.
"As I described school for me, it was a horror movie outside.
"You were running in as they do, and all the kids run upstairs and lock the doors and then realise the monster is in there."
James said school should have been an escape from the "madness" outside.
He said for years he tried to bury the abuse but struggled to cope.
"Was that the reason why I'm like this? Full of addictions, the amount of jobs I've had over my lifetime you could run a list of them all, always being good at the start then self-destruct happened," he said.
'Robbed me of any childhood memories'
Dennis, not his real name, was abused while at the Abbey Primary School in Newry.
He said he still suffers from serious mental health issues, including self-harm and suicidal thoughts.
He hasn't told many people about what happened to him, not even close family members.
"I grew up hating my name, how I looked, basically I just hated everything about myself," Dennis said.
He has blanked a lot out.
"What it has done is basically rob me of any childhood memories.
"I've flashes. My sister would talk to me, and say do you remember this, do you remember that? I can remember the beatings, I can remember the slaps."
The jury at this most recent trial was told Paul Dunleavy was already in prison for similar offences.
There were reporting restrictions around the earlier trials.
The first file relating to allegations against him was submitted to the PPS in 2011.
'Priests and brothers got away with it'
Dunleavy's denial of the offences was "devastating" for James.
"It's as if we're still telling lies, because he denied it.
He says he has forgiven Dunleavy but it is a constant process.
"To forgive him was the only way to get rid of it, it's the only way for me to carry on.
"But it comes back, it doesn't last - you can forgive him in the morning and want to kill him in the afternoon. It's a thing I have to deal with day in and day out."
James says he believes there are people who suffered at the hands of Dunleavy who haven't come forward yet. And others who haven't made it.
"l have got friends in the graveyard over this, that didn't get the chance, that weren't able to cope with the mental load and buried themselves in drugs and alcohol and weren't able to get through it."
Dennis said he wishes he could have done more to stop Dunleavy.
"There's a lot of guilt there because you did not speak up and it's only now you're finding out about the amount of people that's come after you," Dennis said.
"You've that guilt there and it lives with you every day, that if you had have opened your mouth and said something maybe it would have been nipped in the bud."
"Back in them days priests, brothers, all of it, they could do whatever they wanted, they got away with it.
"It's only now people are finding out what they were really like."
If you have been affected by the issues raised in this story, help and support can be found at BBC Action Line.
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