A Dunfermline priest accused of sexually assaulting a teenage male was “not a bad person”, his alleged victim told a trial.
Father Christopher Heenan is alleged to have run his hand over the then-teenager’s body and inner thigh during a gathering at the home of a family member in 2020.
The man, who was in his late teens at the time, told the trial he did not initially report the incident to family as he was worried about their view of him changing.
Now in his 20s, he said Heenan was a family friend and described him as “kind”.
‘He overstepped boundaries’
The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, gave evidence at Dunfermline Sheriff Court this week.
He said: “I wouldn’t say he (Heenan) was a bad person but he overstepped boundaries.
“I was young so he wasn’t exactly a friend – a family friend.
“I wouldn’t say he was a bad person but his actions resembled that of a bad person – that’s the best way I can describe it.”
The court was told when 51-year-old Heenan touched the then-teenager’s leg, he initially shrugged it off as “a mistake”.
However, later the same evening, the witness said he touched again him, moving his hand around, including to his inner thigh.
He said: “Initially I thought it was a mistake but it was repeated throughout the night.
“I was uncomfortable and I did make it apparent I was uncomfortable but the situation was repeated.
“It wasn’t the way you’d affectionately touch someone.
“It was like it was trying to happen discreetly – but it wasn’t discrete.”
Priest removed from ministry during court case
The complainer added: “I didn’t want people to know (about the incident) because maybe their opinion would change of me.
“I didn’t want anyone to think anything negative and I didn’t want people to worry about me.
“Although it wasn’t a nice experience, it didn’t make me think he was a bad person.
“I didn’t want to ruin (a family member’s) relationship with him as they had a close friendship.”
Heenan’s defence agent suggested the priest was simply a “tactile person” who regularly touched and hugged parishioners.
The charges
The man said that may have been true of older people but he was considerably younger than the priest.
Heenan, who now lives in Stirling, is alleged to have sexually assaulted the man at an address in Dunfermline between August 1 and September 1 2020.
He denies the charges and the trial will continue in December.
Heenan was the parish priest at St Margaret’s RC Church in Dunfermline and has been removed from active ministry while the court case is ongoing.
His parish, which also incorporates Holy Name Church in Oakley, has been taken over by a new priest.
