A former mortuary assistant moved jars containing foetuses and concealed them in the Coombe Hospital, Dublin, a court was told today.
The man had been an employee in the mortuary at the hospital and had a grievance against his former employer, Kilmainham District Court was told.
He was sentenced to 120 hours community service, pending a probation report, and ordered to give £1,000 to a charity.
Desmond McCabe (38), Brandon Road, Drimnagh, Dublin, pleaded guilty to a charge under the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994 that between 10 a.m on March 15th, 2000 and 9 a.m on March 16th, 2000, he entered the mortuary at the Coombe Hospital as a trespasser with intent to commit an offence or unlawfully interfere with any properties.
Detective Inspector Michael O'Sullivan, Kevin Street Garda Station, gave evidence that McCabe had previously been a mortuary assistant at the Coombe and seemed to have a grievance against his former employer.
He said that McCabe removed glass jars containing seven foetuses from the mortuary shelf and took them to another part of the mortuary. He had then hidden them under a grate which was below a mortuary slab.
The jars were discovered after an extensive garda search, he said.
Mr Stephen Cousins told the court he was the parent of one of the foetuses and he and his wife, Ms Martha Cousins, had been caused great stress because of what had happened. They were now both receiving counselling.
Dr Peter Fahy told the court that McCabe at the time had been addicted to medication drugs but was now clear of them and would be unlikely to do such a thing again.