Ronan McCormack’s indecent assault conviction upheld

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

The Court of Appeal upheld Ronan McCormack’s conviction for indecently assaulting five boys on 27 July 2017.

A jury at Sligo Circuit Criminal Court had found McCormack guilty of 53 counts of indecent assault against five boys aged between 10 and 13. The offences took place at various locations between October 1981 and August 1986.

He had denied the charges.

On 25 July 2014, Judge Petria McDonnell sentenced him to seven years and 10 months’ imprisonment, with the final two years suspended.

Giving the appeal judgment, Mr Justice George Birmingham said the court agreed that the trial judge’s treatment of system evidence and the related issue of corroboration was “sub-optimal”. He said some remarks suggested the judge was confused or blurring the distinction between whether corroboration was legally required and whether a corroboration warning should be given.

Mr Justice Birmingham said no issue had been raised about the adequacy or appropriateness of what was said on those matters, despite lengthy requisitions. The appeal court considered the case particularly strong and the complainants’ evidence powerful and compelling. It dismissed the appeal against conviction.

The proceedings were reported on 27 July 2017.