A Christian Brother charged with indecently and physically assaulting boys in his care at an industrial school in the 1970s has had his trial transferred to Dublin on the basis that he might not get a fair trial in Galway.
Applying to have the case transferred at Galway Circuit Court yesterday, Mr John Jordan, barrister, presented a file of local and national newspaper clippings and broadcast transcripts to Judge Harvey Kenny which he said could prejudice his client from getting a fair trial in Galway.
Mr Jordan said that in a similar case Judge Carroll Moran had taken the unprecedented step of transferring the trial of another Christian Brother to Dublin.
Judge Kenny accepted that the case had attracted saturation publicity in Galway and agreed to the transfer to Dublin, affirming an earlier order prohibiting publication of the accused man's name or photograph.