Former teacher jailed for abuse over 40 years ago

VICTIM SAID HIS CHILDHOOD WAS ‘IRRETRIEVABLY STOLEN’

A former teacher at a secondary school in Louth was jailed at Dundalk Circuit Court for the indecent assault of a pupil between dates in 1972 and 1973.

The man, who is now aged 70 and living outside the jurisdiction, cannot be named to protect the victim’s identity.

The court was told the accused had denied the offences but had been found guilty following by a jury in October 2017 of five offences between October 1972 and the end of June 1973.

Judge Gerard Griffin heard that the victim had been going to the accused’s home for grinds, when then the abuse occurred.

Other offences took place in the secondary school, where the accused was the boy’s form teacher.

A victim impact statement was read out, where the former pupil said he had suffered from fear, anxiety and flashbacks, and had blamed himself for the abuse.

He said his childhood had been ‘irretrievably stolen.’

He said he had not told his partner until 2008, when there was publicity around the publication of the Murphy report.

In sentencing, Judge Griffin said it was ‘grave breach of trust’ by a teacher due to his pupil.

Considering the nature and gravity of the offences, he sentenced the accused to twelve months in prison, with the final six months suspended.