Victims summoned over tannoy system

Boys abused by a Franciscan priest in the 1970s were summoned to his office over a tannoy system and waited outside until a green light signalled that they could enter, a court was told yesterday.

The experiences of four victims of Fr Ronald Bennett, former games master and spiritual adviser at Gormanston College, Gormanston, Co Meath, and member of the Irish Schools Swimming Association, were related by Sgt Margaret Murrell of Crumlin Garda station, who took statements from them in 1999.

Appearing in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Desmond Hogan, Fr Bennett sat initially with two companions in the public gallery but moved to the dock when directed by a garda.

In blue shirt and tie and navy jacket, the 71-year-old listened impassively to the evidence detailed by Sgt Murrell, occasionally rubbing his eyes behind large-rimmed glasses.

Two of his victims sat at the back of the court, both with their arms folded across their chests, and watched the proceedings.

The boys were summoned to Fr Bennett's office on the pretext of being given sex education. They waited until a light on the wall outside his office turned green and then they went in. The door was locked behind them.

The garda described how the priest picked one boy who had joined the school as a 12-year-old in 1974 and was abused regularly until he left in 1978, to be leader of a group who were serving as altar boys at morning Mass.

He called the boy to his office and asked him whether he knew about the facts of life, if he had a girlfriend and what he might do with her. Then he fondled the boy through his clothes and, on one occasion, congratulated him on reaching maturity as the abuse continued.

Similar episodes occurred on a number of occasions in the office and also in the college gym storage room and then in September 1977, the priest took the abuse a step further when he undressed himself, told the boy he "was mature enough for this" and went on with the abuse.

The boy invented illnesses and dropped out of sports in an attempt to avoid the priest, the garda told the court. He was also teased by fellow students for the length of time he spent in the priest's office.

Sgt Murrell said that another of the boys was given sweets after being abused and instructed not to tell anyone. And a third boy described how humiliated he felt after the sexual abuse in the office.

When Fr Bennett was arrested he spoke of his regret at the hurt he caused, his confusion and also said that he had loved one of his victims.