A priest from the Diocese of Derry has pleaded to guilty to 109 sex offenses, including attempting to encourage a child to engage in sexual activity.

Edward Gallagher, 59, pleaded guilty in Londonderry Crown Court and will be sentenced in December this year for the offenses that took place between June 22 2023 and April 18 2025.

He is currently in custody after being detained outside a hotel in the Waterside area of Derry in April last year.

The charges included 13 charges for having indecent images or photographs of a male child; one charge of possessing an extreme pornographic image; and 43 charges for attempted sexual communication with a child under the age of 16.

He also faced 43 charges of attempting to encourage male children to distribute or show indecent images of photographs of children and five charges of attempting to incite male children to engage in sexual activity.

Bishop Michael Router of Derry said that he would ask the Vatican to remove Gallagher from the priesthood.

“I can confirm that I am petitioning the Holy See to submit the case directly to the Holy Father with a recommendation that Father Edward Gallagher be immediately dismissed from the clerical state,” he said.

“The events of the past 18 months have caused immense distress to victims and survivors of abuse, parishioners, families, clergy and the wider community,” he added.

Router said that his thoughts were “first and foremost” with those damaged by the case, “particularly the children who have suffered harm and those who continue to live with the consequences of abuse and exploitation.”

“Conduct of this nature represents a radical betrayal of that trust and is wholly incompatible with the obligations and responsibilities of priestly ministry. The Church cannot undo the harm that has been caused. Nor can any canonical penalty remove the suffering experienced by victims and survivors,” Router said.

“Nevertheless, the Church has a responsibility to respond truthfully, justly and decisively,” he added.

He said the diocese had throughout the investigations cooperated with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and other  statuary authorities. He said the diocese would “continue to do so.”

“The Diocese remains committed to supporting those affected, to maintaining the highest safeguarding standards and to ensuring its continued full cooperation with the civil authorities,” Router added.

Defense counsel Stephen Mooney said “by his guilty pleas the facts of this case are what they are” and that a pre-sentence report was necessary.

Sentencing is due to take place on Dec. 9, and Gallagher will remain in custody until then. The PSNI welcomed Gallagher’s guilty plea.

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