TWO men faced a former Christian Brother, who abused them when they were children, telling his sentencing hearing that the sexual assaults he perpetrated on them were his “shame”, not theirs.
The two informed Limerick Circuit Criminal Court that they wished to retain their right to anonymity, but wanted the court to lift a ban on the media reporting the “evil” defendant’s identity.
The court heard the defendant pleaded not guilty to a total of 11 counts of indecently assaulting the two boys on different dates in the 1980s. Following a trial, a jury found him guilty on seven of the counts.
The court heard the defendant “befriended” the families of the boys before going on to sexually assault them separately by encouraging them to masturbate and getting them to masturbate him.
The sex assaults took place at various locations, including at a monastery, the defendant’s mother’s home, and a school, the court heard.
The defendant was aged in his 30s and the boys were aged between 12 and 14 at the time. The two victims individually made complaints to Gardaí in 2020 and 2022.
On two occasions the defendant kissed one of the boys, including on one occasion when he pinned the boy to a wall and, on another occasion, when he and the boy were inside in a boiler house.
Prosecuting barrister Lily Buckley, instructed by State Solicitor Brendan Gill, said the defendant had been “implicitly trusted” by the boys’ families after he befriended them and groomed the boys individually.
The victims, now in their 50s, told the court how the sexual assaults destroyed their childhood and haunted them into adulthood.
“Every day, memories that I don’t want infiltrate my psyche and have stolen my sense of safety, trust, and peace. Like a shadow, they have followed me through school, relationships, work, and moments I should have enjoyed,” one said.
The man said the defendant was a “persevering predatory paedophile” whose abuse made him suffer “anxiety, self loathing, and a relenting sense of worthlessness”.
“These are not just scars of the past, they are open wounds, they are every thought, every sleepless night.
“40 years is a lifetime, and I spent decades trying to heal, but, in truth, there is no undoing what was done.”
Turning to the defendant in court, the man told him: “You stole my childhood, my innocence, my ability to like myself.”
Asking the court to impose an immediate custodial sentence, the man said: “There was no leniency availed to me by the perpetrator, thus I believe leniency should not be afforded to the perpetrator who preyed upon a child”.
The second victim addressed the defendant in court and told him: “I was an innocent 13-year-old boy, you manipulated access to me by befriending my parents, and you used your position to get their trust, and you then used me for your sexual gratification.”
“You changed me from a happy, talkative child, to someone more introverted who had to deal with shame and guilt, huge fear, and the effects of it have followed me my entire adult life.”
The two victims said their personal relationships with their loved ones and friends had suffered due to the abuse they endured.
One of the victims told the defendant: “Each day I battle with the demons of your abuse, which has led me to depression. To cope, I have attended years of therapy and require daily medication.”
“You refuse to accept responsibility for your abuse of me, but the truth is out and I will no longer hold your secret.
“My 13-year-old self has been acknowledged and believed, and I can now rest easy, knowing I did nothing wrong and that your evil has been exposed.”
Judge Colin Daly said he would pass sentence in March, at which time he would make a decision in relation to the victims request that reporting restrictions be lifted in respect of the defendant’s identity.
– Court Reporting Scheme