Fr Jeremiah McGrath, the former Parish Priest of Roslea has had leave to appeal his sentence, for grooming a young girl for sex, rejected by the Court of Appeal in London.

McGrath (64) was sentenced to five years in jail in May last year after a jury found him guilty of one count of facilitating the abuse of a girl by a paedophile, Billy Adams, between August and November 2005.

During the trial, it emerged McGrath gave Adams £20,000 which he used to buy treats and gifts for the 12-year-old girl. Despite being aware Adams had previous child sex convictions, the priest failed to warn the girl's family that she was in danger.

McGrath's application for leave to appeal his sentence was rejected by three judges at the Court of Appeal.

Mr Justice Underhill, sitting with Lord Justice Hooper and Mr Justice Silber said McGrath's conduct had facilitated the continuation of extremely grave offences and required no lesser sentence. He said it was McGrath's money which had funded three holidays to Blackpool where Adams had taken his victim who he presented as his daughter, and other members of her family.

McGrath is a member of St Patrick's Missionary Society, having been ordained in 1968. At the time of his arrest, he was Parish Priest for Roslea. The Bishop of Clogher, Joseph Duffy, explained his office would not be making any comment on McGrath, and referred the matter to the St Patrick's Missionary Society.

A spokesperson for the Society explained the organisation would not be in a position to make any comment at this stage as McGrath's appeal against his conviction was outstanding.

Despite this, the Court of Appeal in London have stated that McGrath has not yet lodged any notice of appeal.

However, the St Patrick's Missionary Society spokesperson is adamant McGrath did give notice to appeal the conviction, but he added that his legal team had not yet lodged formal papers.