A Catholic priest has been cleared of sexually assaulting a teenage male in Dunfermline.
Father Christopher Heenan was accused of running his hand over the then-17-year-old’s body and inner thigh during a James Bond-themed cocktail party at a property in 2020.
Heenan told a trial he had consumed alcohol during the gathering but there had been a “misunderstanding” or “misinterpretation” by the complainer about what happened.
Under questioning from prosecutor Lee-Anne Hannan at Dunfermline Sheriff Court, Heenan said: “I may well have touched his leg but (with) no sexual intention whatsoever”.
Flirting admitted
The trial heard, while being questioned by police, Heenan said he was attracted to – and had been flirting with – the young man.
He accepted he may have touched the teenager on his shoulder and leg.
However, he insisted it was not for his sexual gratification but was “a kind of affection-type thing”.
During a police interview in May 2021, Heenan described himself as “touchy,” adding: “Not with everybody but especially when I’ve had a drink.”
He said he regularly attended parties and believed the allegation may have stemmed from a drunken James Bond-themed gathering.
Heenan told investigators he was helped home from the event by others after having too much to drink.
“It was all these fancy cocktails,” he said.
“Whatever James Bond drinks – I had too many vodka Martinis.”
Witness – accused ‘not a bad person’
The complainer told the trial Heenan touched his leg and he initially shrugged it off as “a mistake”.
But later the same evening the witness said he touched him again, moving his hand around, including to his inner thigh.
He said: “It wasn’t the way you’d affectionately touch someone.
“It was like it was trying to happen discreetly – but it wasn’t discrete.”
The man, who can not be named for legal reasons, said Heenan is not a bad person but his actions at the time “resembled that of a bad person”.
Not proven
Following the trial, Sheriff James MacDonald found the prosecution’s case against Heenan not proven.
In his judgement, the sheriff highlighted a lack of corroboration in evidence to prove a sexual assault.
He said: “I am left with an account from a single credible witness (the complainer).
“No matter how compelling, no person can be convicted on one source of evidence.
“The accused does not accept he acted in the manner described but does not exclude the possibility he did.
“That is not an acceptance but may undermine a denial”.
The sheriff said Heenan’s mention of being attracted to the complainer does not of itself afford corroboration.
“As to the remaining evidence I am not satisfied events from (two other witnesses) were the same event described by the complainer and in my judgement, the Crown has not proved this case beyond reasonable doubt.
“I find the charge not proven”.
Archdiocese investigation
Heenan, of Pelstream Avenue in Stirling, was the parish priest at St Margaret’s RC Church in Dunfermline and was removed from active ministry while the court case was ongoing.
His parish, which also incorporates Holy Name Church in Oakley, has been taken over by a new priest.
In a statement posted on its website, the Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh said: “Following notice of an allegation to the Archdiocese against Fr Heenan, he was withdrawn from active ministry in line with the Church’s published procedures.
“The Archdiocese co-operated fully in the subsequent investigation by Police Scotland.
“Today’s verdict now enables the Archdiocese to initiate its own internal investigation process.
“The decision concerning Fr Heenan’s return to ministry will be made once that internal investigation has been concluded.”
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