Neil McGarrity: Priest who sexually abused girls walks free from court

Father Neil McGarrity, 58, preyed on his victims at two churches in Glasgow as well as his parish home in the city.

McGarrity played "footsie" under the table with one of the girls and was caught in a "prolonged embrace" with another.

The priest of 33 years, from Maryhill, also touched and rubbed the girls with one victim claiming he hugged her while sat on a couch.

A girl even contacted Childline due to her concerns over his behaviour.

McGarrity was found guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court of four sexual assaults and one charge of engaging in sexual activity.

The charges span from December 2017 and February 2020 with the girls’ ages ranging between 10 to 16.

Sheriff Vincent Lunny ordered McGarrity to do 250 hours of unpaid work and put him under supervision for three years.

He also tagged McGarrity for nine months keeping him indoors between 7pm and 7am.

McGarrity was placed on the sex offenders register for five years.

The Post understands McGarrity also served at St Mary’s Church in Duntocher for many years, although there is no suggestion he committed any offence whilst serving there.

The trial heard from a girl who said she was repeatedly hugged by McGarrity when she was aged 10 or 11 at St Thomas the Apostle Church in the Riddrie area of the city.

The witness stated that McGarrity made her feel "uncomfortable".

She added that he called her his “favourite” and that she wasn’t to “tell anybody".

The girl stated she did not tell her parents as she kept it "bottled up".

The victim then recalled being with McGarrity at his parish home in 2020.

She said: “It got too big to handle - we went in the living room and said to come and sit on a spinning chair.

“He wanted me to put my head on him and he cuddled into me.

“I said 'I can’t do this' and 'I need the toilet'.”

The girl added that she was stroked on the arm and hugged by McGarrity.

A second girl told the court that she had to phone Childline about McGarrity not long after meeting him.

She said: "It was that he was being really close, and I was getting someone else's view if it was normal.

"I never had really had that much real concern about it as I really liked him."

The girl claimed McGarrity put his hand around and rubbed her waist.

The witness added: "It was along with the hand holding and footsie under the table."

The girl said was rubbed on the chest and arm by McGarrity while at a Christmas Eve service at St Thomas's.

She stated that he kept his hand on her waist and rubbed her lower back like a "massage".

The girl went on to say McGarrity also touched her on the leg on two occasions while he was driving his car.

A third girl told the court McGarrity played with her hair and touched her face when she was 13-years-old.

She said: “He always thought he knew about me and I felt weird.

“When I was at church he used to look at me and I felt uncomfortable.”

The girl added that McGarrity also put his arm around her.

She claimed she told her mum but nobody else as she “did not want to judge someone or be mean".

The incidents took place at St Bernadette's Church as well as St Thomas's.

A 25-year-old woman claimed she spotted McGarrity and her younger sister being close with each other at his parish home.

The witness said: "When I re-entered the kitchen area where we were eating, he had his arms round my sister's waist and she had her arms round his waist.

"It was a prolonged embrace they were in."

Prosecutor Derek Buchanan asked how her sister reacted.

She replied: "She reacted like a girl in love would react with the man that was touching her."

McGarrity told the court in his evidence that he was "stunned" to hear of the allegations.

Billy Lavelle, defending, asked if there was any truth to the allegations.

McGarrity said: "There was truth in so far as some of the things I did and didn't do."

Mr Lavelle: "Was there anything sexual on your part?"

McGarrity: "No, not at all."

When McGarrity was convicted in January, a spokesman for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Glasgow told the Post: “The fact that a priest has been found guilty of the abuse of those in his care is a source of deep sorrow for the Archdiocese of Glasgow.

“It is our hope that the trial, conviction and sentencing of the individual responsible will afford the victims some comfort. 

“We sincerely apologise to the victims of Fr McGarrity and renew apologies previously made for the abuse suffered by anyone in the care of those ministering or working on behalf of the Church."

They added: "The pain and trauma suffered by survivors goes deep. The Archdiocese is committed to doing all it can to support survivors as they seek justice and healing.

"We would encourage anyone who has been affected by this or any similar events to contact us for support.”