Courts / Dublin / Report
Former Christian brother jailed for abuse of schoolboys
Summary
A 70‑year‑old former Christian brother teacher, who taught at a primary school in the southeast from 1975 to 1981, was convicted by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in April of the previous year for molesting two boys in his classroom. He pleaded not guilty to eleven counts of indecent assault but was found guilty on seven counts; the jury could not reach a verdict on four counts. The convictions involved repeated indecent assaults on one boy on two occasions—after the boy was asked to stay behind to clean the blackboard and after he was called up to read—and on the second boy up to 40 times during the school year up to June 1980. The court heard that the assaults had a lasting impact on the victims, affecting their self‑esteem, relationships and life choices.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Former Christian brother jailed for abuse of schoolboys. Charges or matters: eleven counts of indecent assault on the two victims at various times during the school year from 1979 to 1980; indecently assaulting one boy on two occasions. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Convicted
When:
- June 1980 Incident
- 1975 to 1981 Other
- 1979 to 1980 Incident
- 2022-06-29 Publication
Why: He said he was afraid to confide in his wife because he feared it would make him less of a person. CNI source report
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: eleven counts of indecent assault on the two victims at various times during the school year from 1979 to 1980; indecently assaulting one boy on two occasions (Proven)
Plea: Not guilty
Finding: Convicted
Outcome: Convicted; Noting that the maximum penalty for this offence at the time was set at two years, she imposed an eight-month sentence on five of the seven counts.
Places mentioned
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Topics
Sexual Offences Stage Sentence Violent Crime
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