A former church sacristan was sentenced yesterday at Wexford Circuit Court to five years' jail for sex offences.
Thomas Byrne (57), from Gorey, Co Wexford, is also a former youth club leader and caretaker of the old people's centre in Gorey. He pleaded guilty to three sample counts of buggery, three of indecent assault and four sexual assault charges against four boys from 1971 to 1998.
Byrne was charged with more than 30 offences but only 11 sample charges were brought.
The court heard the buggery and indecent assaults on a 14-year-old victim had caused him to attempt suicide.
In a previous hearing it was disclosed that Byrne the had sexually assaulted and buggered some of his victims in the old people's club in the 1970s.
A psychiatric report showed Byrne thought he had "helped and not harmed his victims", and did not accept that "14, 15 and 16-year-olds could not give valid consent" for sexual liaisons.
Mr John O'Kelly SC, defending, said the psychiatrist had misunderstood Byrne, who believed homosexual relationships were acceptable, but not with minors.
Judge Olive Buttimer, in passing sentence, said the reports gave her cause to fear for the future.