Courts / Ireland / Report

Retired teacher in his 90's tells trial that sex abuse allegations are 'rubbish'

Summary

In a High Court civil hearing, a man in his 70s claimed he was sexually and physically abused by his primary school teacher, a member of a Roman Catholic religious order, during the late 1950s and 1960s. He said the abuse occurred when he was about six or seven, involving forced oral sex in the classroom and cloakroom, and physical assault. He reported long‑term trauma, PTSD, self‑loathing, and suicidal thoughts, and only recalled the events after counselling in 2010. He sued the teacher and the order for damages, alleging the order failed to protect him. The retired teacher, aged in his 90s, denied all allegations, calling them "rubbish", and claimed no memory of teaching the complainant or any abuse. The case is being heard by a civil jury presided over by Mr Justice Alexander Owens. The hearing continues.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Retired teacher in his 90's tells trial that sex abuse allegations are 'rubbish'. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• 2022-07-01 Publication

Why: He also said that the man's claim that he was his teacher for three to four years is wrong, because typically teachers were moved to different classes at the school after two years. CNI source report

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial Violent Crime

Read the original CNI report