Former Christian Brother jailed for abusing two boys in Cork school

A former Christian Brother and teacher has been jailed for 12 months after he pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting two boys in a Cork school in the 1970s and 1980s.

Edward Bryan (62) pleaded guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to sexually assaulting one boy between 1979 and 1981 and the second boy in 1986 at the North Monastery secondary school.

Bryan, Martinvilla, Athboy Road, Trim, Co Meath, was a teacher at the school at the time and was very involved in coaching basketball and other sports, the court heard.

Det Sgt Vincent O’Sullivan said one complainant had been abused by Bryan when they were alone in a changing area near the school swimming pool.

Bryan told him that he was at risk of getting a rash from sitting in a fibreglass canoe and got the boy to strip so he could rub cream on him to protect him.

The complainant, now in his 40s, told gardaí he could hear Bryan breathing heavily as he stood behind and rubbed cream over his body including his genitals.

In the case of the second complainant, Bryan suggested he do extra weight training for basketball and asked him to strip when they were alone in the gym changing room.

Bryan also stripped, lay on top of the boy and started rubbing his penis between the boy’s legs and using a towel to rub his genital area, the court heard.

Det Sgt O’Sullivan said Bryan denied the complaints after agreeing to meet gardaí but he pleaded guilty to both indecent assaults when charged.

Previous convictions

Bryan had seven previous convictions for indecent assault on three other boys at the North Monastery in the 1980s.

One of the more recent complainants told in a Victim Impact Statement how he first came in contact with Bryan as a 14 year old when he began playing basketball for the school.

“The sexual abuse inflicted on me left me feeling scared, confused and ultimately embarrassed to the point where I never confided with anyone about what had occurred until recently,” he said.

“I have carried around the shame of his sexual abuse for my entire adult life, never addressing it and always shutting it away from my memories out of embarrassment.”

He added: “I suppose I would say that you have stolen a moment of my life that I can never have back and will always have a resounding effect on my life.”

Defence barrister, Brendan Kelly BL said Bryan wanted to apologise to the victims for "any hurt and pain" and to his family and religious order from bringing them into "disrepute".

‘Level of remorse’

Judge Sean O Donnabhain said the big difference between this case and Bryan's trial where he was convicted was that he was now pleading guilty and admitting the wrongdoing.

“There now appears to be some level of insight, some level of remorse - he has had a change of heart in his response to these complaints which is to be welcomed,” he added.

Judge O’Donnabhain said Bryan had saved his latest victims the trauma of having to give evidence in a trial and that was something he had to take into account in sentencing.

He noted that the maximum penalty available to him for indecent assault is now two years and he sentenced Bryan to 12 months in jail on both counts with the terms to run concurrently.