Scottish Christian.com

Home > News > Scottish Christian News Monitor

Cronin priest warning to parish

Parishioners at a Roman Catholic church in the Borders have been warned about a notorious sex attacker who has claimed to be their priest.

John Cronin is thought to be in Ireland, where police are hunting him over alleged cheque fraud.

A notice at SS Mary and David's Parish Church in Hawick has warned that he has masqueraded as their priest.

Cronin was jailed for attacking and sexually abusing a Conservative Party worker at her Edinburgh home in 1992.

He was described at the time by a judge as "Walter Mitty gone mad".

Cronin's life prison term was reduced to six years on appeal.

He has since been jailed for offences including bank robbery, fraud and harassing female politicians, in both Britain and Ireland.

Now a notice about him has been placed at the Borders church.

"Please be aware that a John Cronin is in Ireland pretending to be the parish priest of Hawick," it said.

"If you hear of someone claiming to be a Catholic priest and asking for help, etc, please be vigilant.

"The police in Scotland and Ireland are aware of the situation."

According to Lothian and Borders Police the warning dates back several weeks and they stressed that Cronin was not in the Hawick area.

Full story at BBC Scotland News.