Andrew Carey
A SCHOOLBOY who was sexually abused by a former cleric told a judge that he couldn’t hold his dying mother’s hand because of the effects the abuse had on him.
Following a nine day trial at Limerick Circuit Court, a jury of seven men and five women convicted the 73 year-old retired school teacher and cleric on 30 counts of sexual abuse but were unable to reach agreement on the remaining 42 charges.
The teacher who was a member of a religious order and cannot be named for legal reasons, denied all 72 counts of indecently assaulting 13 boys in the Limerick school between September 1978 and June 1981.
The jury convicted him of assaulting six of his former pupils but were unable to reach a verdict in relation to the other seven.
Former pupils described how they felt humiliated by the teacher’s actions but two submitted statements in which they declared that they did not see any instances of abuse.
One victim said “his reign of terror and my shame and humiliation imposed an omerta upon me which lasted for almost 30 years. Being abused on a daily basis left me with no sense of self-esteem, I felt isolated, depressed and from the age of eleven, I felt broken.”
Another witness said the most immediate effect it had on his life was in his relationship with his mother who he described as a “strict Catholic”.
“Clerics to her were almost living deities. I directed all the anger I felt towards him onto my mother. She was my enemy and I withdrew totally from any sort of relationship with her. Our only interaction was one of conflict and I could not bear to be around my own mother. When she was on her deathbed in pain she pleaded with me to hold her hand. I could not bring myself to do it. For this alone, I can never forgive his actions.”
The 48-year-old victim went on to say that every day in his life since has been a “struggle” after he developed a dependence on alcohol into his adult life.
“My isolation and depression culminated in a suicide attempt which became a seminal moment in my life. Up to then, I had let his actions define my life but after that, I began to define and shape my life.”
Another victim said that all he could recall was “I had my first kiss as a 12-year-old boy from a man who was 38. I am now 47 and find myself being afraid again of a small 73-year-old man.
Judge John Hannan said it was a terrifying scenario for any child to experience and the man’s actions caused the children significant harm.
“School should have a been a place of safety and enjoyment for theses and all children but for these boys it was anything but that.”
He said there were common themes running through the victim impact statements with several pointing to difficulty in relationships, damage to self esteem, bouts of depression and loss of innocence.
“The defendant showed no inference of remorse, regret or apology.
At the time the offences were committed, the Church was held in far greater esteem than it is today. His actions were brazen and arrogant in their execution and planning”.
One of the victim’s directing his anger towards his mother at the time made for “sad reading”, the judge said as “many people were on pedestals at the time and the Church was right up there with them.”
Imposing a prison sentence of three years and four months with the final 20 months suspended, Judge Hannan said the maximum sentence he could impose on each charge was two years but in suspending part of the jail term, he had to consider the defendant’s age and his difficult medical conditions.
He hoped the victims would be assisted on their road to recovery by his ruling and the former cleric’s name was placed on the register for sex offenders for ten years.
