A FORMER DONEGAL parish priest has pleaded guilty to a raft of sex abuse charges against a young boy.

Eamonn Crossan appeared at Donegal Circuit Court facing a total of 96 sex-related charges.

The 72-year-old was due to stand trial before a judge and jury.

However, just moments before a jury was due to be sworn in for his trial, Crossan’s legal team informed Judge John Aylmer there could be progress in the case.

After a short adjournment, it was indicated that Crossan was pleading guilty to a total of nine sample charges ranging from indecent assault to sexual assault.

All of the charges relate to the same victim and occurred at various locations in Donegal between various dates in the 1980s and 1990s.