A PRIEST told police he was gay and was attracted to a 17-year-old male he is accused of sexually assaulting at a house party.

Father Christopher Heenan told officers he was a “touchy” person and had been drunk on the night of the alleged offence.

Heenan, 52, agreed to speak to police without legal representation and gave a full interview, which was videoed and played at Dunfermline Sheriff Court on the second day of his trial.

In the interview in May 2021, he said he attended parties at the home of the youth’s mum regularly.

He said he believed the allegations related to a James Bond-themed get-together at her house.

He went on: “I think I maybe had too much of the cocktails,” adding that he had to be helped home by others there.

He was asked if he remembered touching the youth and replied: “No, not specifically.”

He was asked if he had touched him on the thigh and answered: “I might have done but I really can’t remember.”

Asked why he would have done that, Heenan said: “Just affection. I’m quite touchy but not with everybody, just people I know. Especially when I’ve had a drink.”

When asked about his sexual preference, Heenan said he was gay.

Asked what he thought of the alleged victim, he answered: “He’s a nice-looking guy.”

When asked if he found the young man attractive, Heenan said: “I do.”

Heenan was then asked what the youth would have felt at the party: “Intimidated, I can see that now.”

On his sexuality, he went on: “I’ve been really struggling the last few years. I got offered another job and, stupidly, I didn’t take it.”

He added: “It’s just the regime that we’re living under. The guys above us. The game’s a bogey now so maybe you’ve done me a favour.”

The alleged victim told the trial previously that Heenan, a family friend, touched his leg repeatedly as they sat next to each other, talking.

The alleged incident took place following a dinner party at the young man’s family home and there were around eight other people present in a bar-style room at the time, including his mum and uncle.

No-one apparently saw anything untoward and the youth did not tell anyone about it at the time.

It was not until the following year that the matter was reported to the police.

Heenan, formerly of Viewfield Terrace, Dunfermline, now living in Stirling, was parish priest at St Margaret’s Church, Dunfermline, at the time of the alleged crime.

He denies that on an occasion between August 1, 2019, and August 22, 2020, at an address in Dunfermline, he sexually assaulted a 17-year-old youth by repeatedly stroking and touching him on the body.

The young man, now aged 20, told the trial at Dunfermline Sheriff Court that the priest was a family friend and a regular visitor to his mum’s home.

She held dinner and drinks parties regularly at her house and Heenan was often there.

The young man said: “I got on quite well with him. He’s a smart and kind person, not a bad person. He just overstepped the boundaries. His actions were those of a bad person.”

He said he was sitting in a chair next to Heenan and the two of them were talking when the priest put his hand on his upper leg and inner thigh.

He said he pushed the priest’s hand away but thought initially the touch had been accidental.

However, he realised it had not been unintentional when Heenan repeated the act.

“It wasn’t my private parts,” said the witness, but the actions had made him feel “uncomfortable”.

The young man said that after the first incident the priest had put his hand back on his leg “at least once”.

He told the court he did not say anything to the priest or anyone else at the time.

He told the court: “I was 17 and I’m a reserved person, perhaps shy, not confrontational. Maybe I should’ve said something.”

He described how he was feeling at the time: “It wasn’t right, wasn’t responsible and it shouldn’t be happening.”

The trial was adjourned until January 12.