Former cleric jailed for indecent assaults on schoolboys

An abuse victim has told a court he could not hold his dying mother’s hand as she pleaded with him from her death bed because of the sexual abuse he suffered at primary school at the hands of a former cleric.

In a victim impact statement at Limerick Circuit Court, the now 48-year-old man described how he directed all his anger about the abuse towards his mother, a strict catholic who viewed clerics as “living deities”.

The evidence was heard as a retired teacher (73) was jailed for 20 months for indecently assaulting six boys at a primary school in Limerick more than 30 years ago.

Jailing the former cleric — who cannot be named for legal reasons — Judge John Hannan described the indecent assaults as “brazen” in their execution.

Judge Hannan said the “disgusting and unnatural” incidents of abuse were committed at a time when religious run schools had significant respect and when there was no places for parents or children to turn to for help.

The judge said the accused was a teacher in in his late thirties when he committed the offences, who was educated and a man of the cloth “who should have known where his moral compass was pointed”.

In all 13 men, who are all now in their late 40s, gave evidence of repeatedly being touched inappropriately by their teacher at the school on dates between September 1978 and June 1981. The jury in the trial failed to reach a verdict on 42 further counts relating to seven alleged victims.

Relationship destroyed

One victim impact statement noted that the daily abuse destroyed his relationship with his mother, who was a strict Catholic.

“She was my enemy and I withdrew totally from any sort of relationship with her,” he said. “When she was on her deathbed in pain she pleaded with me to hold her hand and I cold not bring myself to do it, for this alone I can never forgive his actions.”

Another victim who was forcibly kissed by the accused when he was asked to stay back after class described his difficulties with intimacy as result of the abuse.

“I had my first kiss as a twelve year old boy from a man who was 38.”

Defence Counsel Andrew Sexton (SC) submitted a medical report which he said highlighted that his client has been suffering from a number of physical illnesses and ongoing psychiatric anxiety for a long time.

Mr Sexton said the 73-year-old — who denied all of the charges — comes before the court as on old man.

Imposing sentence John John Hannan said there was no inference of remorse apology or regret by the accused who contested all the charges.

Addressing the victims who were present in court, Judge Hannan said “school should have been a place of fun back then”.

“I know it wasn’t [fun] because of the manner in which schools were run and people were allowed exercise power... which was so wrong.”

Judge Hannon imposed a total of 40 months on the charges but suspended half the sentence because of the accused man’s age and four years he had previously spent in custody on remand for charges on which he was subsequently acquitted.