Bid to extradite Scots priest accused of abuse

Father MacKenzie was a teacher at Fort Augustus Abbey, above, but now stays in Cupar, Canada, right.

Father MacKenzie denies any well- known in the wrongdoing and refutes the allegatight-knit t ow n of tions against him. Cupar in the rural state

At his Canadian home last week, of Saskatchewan, which he insisted there was “absolutely no borders the US in west central truth in the allegations”. Canada.

He said he had been cleared of An hour’s drive from the state any wrongdoing “long ago” and it capital Regina, Cupar has a populahad “all been dealt with”. tion of just over 500.

He said: “The police in Scotland Father MacKenzie was the town’s have dealt with it and there is nothpriest until retiring two years ago, ing to those accusations.” sources say, and still lives in the

Father MacKenzie – known rectory of St Patrick’s Church in locally as Fa t h e r Bob – is Cupar.

It is believed Father MacKenzie, originally from Edinburgh and educated in Rome, went to school at Fort Augustus before returning to it as a teacher and house master.

Last night, a Crown Office spokesman confirmed a petition warrant had been sought and g ra n t e d against Fa t h e r MacKenzie.

He said: “The procurator fiscal received a report concerning a n ow 8 4 - y e a r- o l d m a l e in connection with alleged historical offences.

“No court dates have been scheduled at this time.”

Bringing Father MacKenzie to a Scottish court could take years.

One of his former colleagues at Fort Augustus has been fighting a similar extradition move for m o re than a ye a r f rom his Australian home. The Crown Office began the legal process to get Father Denis Alexander to appear before a Scottish court in 2015.

But a year later he told reporters he was unaware of any e x t ra d i t i o n plans, fuelling fears the process was stalling. In January, he was arrested by Australian police at his home and has been held in prison while the extradition hearing continues.

He is expected to appear in court in May.

His lawyers have already said he will fight the move and that he should be freed from remand due to his failing health.

Run by Benedictine monks, Fort Augustus Abbey school closed in 1993.

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