Former GAA official to stand trial on 150 sex charges

By Q Radio news

A former treasurer of Crossmaglen Rangers GAA club appeared in court today (Thursday) where he was formally charged with over 170 sexual offences.

Thomas McKenna - who attended Belfast Crown Court via a videolink with Maghaberry - has been accused of abusing males over a period spanning almost three decades.

After confirming he could see and hear the proceedings, the 60-year old was arraigned on a total of 173 offences dating from December 1989 to June 2018.

Whilst he entered 'not guilty' pleas to a vast majority of the charges, McKenna admitted 23 offences.

The charges he pleaded guilty to were 18 counts of voyeurism, one count of making an indecent image of a child, and four counts of indecently assaulting a male.

Due to these pleas, he will now be placed on the Sex Offenders Register.

He denied a total of 150 other offences which include charges of buggery, indecent assault, sexual assault and gross indecency with or towards a child and will now go to trial.

The former postman also denied charges of 'while being a person engaged in the business of a postal operator, intentionally opened a postal packet in the course of its transmission by post.'

After all 173 charges were put to McKenna, Mr Justice O'Hara enquired about a venue and date for trial.

Neither of those issues were scheduled today, but Mr Justice O'Hara said he would review the case on September 3, when he said he hoped "progress has been made about the way forward."