Patrick Harte remanded over indecent assault convictions

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Patrick Harte was remanded in custody at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 9 July 2020 after convictions for 11 counts of indecent assault. The offences involved seven pupils at Sancta Maria Christian Brothers primary school on Synge Street, Dublin, between September 1968 and September 1970.

Harte had pleaded not guilty and denied the allegations during the trial. The proceedings were reported on 9 July 2020. He claimed in 2015 that the victims had a vendetta against him when their allegations were put to him. Prosecuting counsel Anne Rowland SC told the court there was no evidence that the victims had been in contact with each other since the offending. Detective Garda Garvan Ware said that, as far as he was concerned, they were all independent.

Sentencing was adjourned after Harte failed to attend court and his lawyers said he had been admitted to hospital with cardiac issues.