Former BBC chief to investigate RTE show over priest allegations

Wrongly accused priest's story attracts wider scrutiny

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Fr Kevin Reynolds

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The scandal over an Irish priest wrongly accused of rape is still growing. This week the former controller of BBC Northern Ireland has been appointed to investigate how Father Kevin Reynolds was defamed by the RTE broadcast.

BBC's Anna Carragher has been appointed to probe the RTE 'Prime Time Investigates' program titled Mission To Prey, which wrongly accused Father Kevin Reynolds of raping a minor and fathering a child while working in Kenya 30 years ago.

Father Reynolds denied all the allegations made against him and even offered to undergo a paternity test, however his request was ignored and the RTE program was broadcast on May 23.

The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) announced this week that Carragher has been appointed as the investigating officer for the inquiry, which was ordered by Irish Communications Minister Pat Rabbitte.

In particular the investigation will seek to determine whether the program concerning Father Reynolds breached the standards of the Irish Broadcasting Act.

Ireland's national broadcaster RTE recently made a full apology to the Irish cleric and accepted that the allegations made in the program were entirely baseless.

The Galway-based priest had been forced to step down from his parish for almost six months and has recently reportedly accepted an out-of-court settlement for the libel.

Meanwhile Prime Time executive producer Brian Pairceir and 'Mission To Prey' reporter Aoife Kavanagh have been taken off the air as the inquiry continues.

RTE has announced it will cooperate fully with the BAI investigation.

READ MORE:

The case of Fr Kevin Reynolds: the RTE blame game

Archbishop calls for the independent regulations of media following Fr Reynold’s libel case

Prime Time Priest forgives mother and daughter at heart of libellous claims

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