Priest in Northern Ireland pleads guilty to 109 sex offenses

Edward Gallagher, a 59-year-old priest from the Diocese of Derry, pleaded guilty to 109 sex offenses at Londonderry Crown Court. The charges involve offenses committed between June 22, 2023, and April 18, 2025. These include 43 counts of attempting sexual communication with a child under 16, 43 counts of attempting to encourage male children to distribute indecent images, five counts of attempting to incite male children to engage in sexual activity, 13 counts of possessing indecent images of a male child, and one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image.

Gallagher remains in custody following his detention outside a hotel in the Waterside area of Derry in April 2025. He is scheduled to be sentenced in December.

Bishop Michael Router of Derry said he is petitioning the Holy See to recommend that Gallagher be immediately dismissed from the priesthood. Router stated that the events of the last 18 months have caused immense distress to victims, survivors, parishioners, and the wider community.