Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 0200Rape, indecent assault · Co. Dublin · 1 Jan 1978

DPP appeals former priest Richard Brennan's nine-year sentence for raping two sisters

Richard Brennan, 65, a former Catholic priest based in Montana, US, was charged with 24 offences including six counts of rape and 18 counts of indecent assault against his three sisters, Paula Fay, Catherine Wrightstone and Yvonne Crist, in their family home in Rathfarnham, south Dublin, between 1978 and 1985 when he was aged 16 to 24. He pleaded guilty to all 24 counts days into his trial at the Central Criminal Court in March 2025. In July 2025, Mr Justice David Keane imposed a global sentence reported as eight years by one source and nine years with the final 12 months suspended by another. The DPP appealed on grounds of undue leniency, and the Court of Appeal heard the case on 5 October 2026 before a three-judge panel presided by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, who reserved judgment.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court27 Sep
    2 reports
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Richard Brennan, 65, a former Catholic priest, was charged with 24 offences including six counts of rape and 18 counts of indecent assault against his three sisters.
  • The victims were Paula Fay, aged 13 to 17; Catherine Wrightstone, aged 9 to 14; and Yvonne Crist, aged 20.
Where
The alleged abuse was committed in the family home in Rathfarnham, south Dublin.
When
The offences occurred between January 1978 and December 1985 when Brennan was aged between 16 and 24.
Other details
  • Brennan was ordained a Catholic priest in 1989, left the priesthood in 1992, and moved to the US where he married and had a family; he has an address in Montana.
  • Bernard Brennan, aged 67 or 68, was jailed for four and a half years after admitting to 11 counts of indecent assault against Yvonne Crist and Paula Faye between 1972 and 1975.
  • The defence argued Brennan was abused by his older brother and introduced to sexual behaviour from age three; he had no previous convictions and was assessed as low risk of future offending.
  • All three sisters gave victim impact statements and expressed deep disappointment over the sentence handed down.
In court
  • Brennan pleaded guilty to all 24 counts days into his trial at the Central Criminal Court in March 2025, after each of the three women had given evidence before a jury.
  • The DPP filed an appeal on grounds of undue leniency, arguing the sentence did not reflect the seriousness of the offending.
  • The Court of Appeal heard the appeal on 5 October 2026 before a three-judge panel presided by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, who reserved judgment.
Sentence
In July 2025, Mr Justice David Keane imposed a global sentence reported as eight years by one source and nine years with the final 12 months suspended on condition of engaging with the Probation Service by another.
37 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatPaula Fay was aged 13 when she woke to find her brother, then aged 16, in her bed. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatCatherine Wrightstone was first sexually abused on her ninth birthday and the abuse continued until she was 14. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatBrennan was aged between 19 and 24 at the time of Catherine Wrightstone's abuse. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatYvonne Crist was aged 20 and Brennan was 18 at the time of the indecent assault against her. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe abuse was committed in the family home in Rathfarnham. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereBrennan has an address in Montana in the US. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereBrennan had previous addresses in Rathfarnham and the United States (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe 13 counts of indecent assault against Catherine Wrightstone occurred between June 1980 and late 1985. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenTwo counts of rape against Catherine Wrightstone occurred in 1984 and 1985. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenOffences against Paula Faye occurred between January 1978 and December 1981 when she was aged 13 to 17 (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenOffences against Catherine Wrightstone occurred between June 1980 and December 1984 when she was aged 9 to 14 (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenOffences against Yvonne Crist occurred between June 1979 and June 1980 when she was about 20 (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeBrennan admitted four offences of rape against Paula Fay when she was a minor. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeBrennan admitted two offences of rape against Catherine Wrightstone when she was a minor. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeBrennan admitted four offences of indecent assault against Paula Fay. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeBrennan admitted 13 counts of indecently assaulting Catherine Wrightstone. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeBrennan admitted one offence of indecent assault against Yvonne Crist. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeRichard Brennan pleaded guilty to 24 counts against his three sisters, including 18 of indecent assault and six charges of rape (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe DPP filed an appeal on grounds of undue leniency against Brennan's sentence. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe appeal is due to be heard by the Court of Appeal on 5 October 2026. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtBrennan admitted to 24 offences days into his trial in March 2025. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe DPP appealed the sentence at the Court of Appeal before a three-judge panel presided by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, who reserved judgment (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe DPP argued the sentence did not reflect the seriousness of the offending (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceThe global sentence imposed was eight years for 24 offences. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceMr Justice David Keane imposed a global sentence of nine years in July 2025, backdated to when Brennan first went into custody (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceThe final 12 months of the nine-year term were suspended on condition Brennan engage with the Probation Service for a year (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherBrennan was ordained a Catholic priest in 1989 and left the priesthood in 1992 after meeting his future wife in the US. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherJudge David Keane said the family home should have been a place of safety and security but was made one of fear. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherAll three sisters gave victim impact statements and described themselves as survivors, finding solace in their singing voices. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherBrennan was between 17 and 24 years old at the time of the offending (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherBrennan had no previous convictions (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherBrennan was ordained as a priest in 1989 and later moved to the US where he married and had a family (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherBernard Brennan, 68, was jailed for four and a half years after admitting to sexual abuse of Yvonne Crist and Paula Faye (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherDefence argued Brennan was abused by his older brother and introduced to sexual behaviour from age three (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherBrennan returned voluntarily from the US for questioning and the trial (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherBrennan was assessed as being at a low risk of future offending (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe victims expressed deep disappointment over the sentence handed down (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 6 Oct2026
    In courtirishmirror.ie, follow-up
    Ex-priest who raped sisters says sentence shouldn't increase over alleged abuse

    DPP's appeal against the nine-year sentence (with 12 months suspended) heard at the Court of Appeal on 5 October 2026; three-judge panel presided by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy reserved judgment.

    convicted, Richard Brennan, 65, male, named, irish (judged from name)Richard Brennanvictim, Paula Faye, 13-17, female, irish (judged from name)Paula Fayevictim, Catherine Wrightstone, 9-14, female, irish (judged from name)Catherine Wrightstonevictim, Yvonne Crist, 20, female, irish (judged from name)Yvonne Cristconvicted, Bernard Brennan, 68, male, named, irish (judged from name)Bernard Brennan
  2. 27 Sep2026
    In courtirishtimes.com, follow-up
    DPP appeals former priest’s ‘unduly lenient’ sentence for sexual abuse of his three sisters

    Provides the specific Court of Appeal hearing date (5 October 2026), a detailed breakdown of all 24 offences by victim, the sisters' victim impact statements, the judge's aggravating and mitigating factors, Brennan's ordination in 1989 and departure from the priesthood in 1992, his US address in Montana, and Bernard Brennan's earlier conviction (67, jailed 4½ years for 11 counts of indecent assault, 1972–1975). Note: this article describes the sentence as eight years, while the earlier report (case 200) recorded it as nine years.

    convicted, Richard Brennan, male, named, irish (judged from name)Richard Brennanvictim, Paula Fay, female, irish (judged from name)Paula Fayvictim, Catherine Wrightstone, female, irish (judged from name)Catherine Wrightstonevictim, Yvonne Crist, female, irish (judged from name)Yvonne Cristconvicted, Bernard Brennan, 67, male, named, irish (judged from name)Bernard Brennan