I was raped by a teacher and it ruined my life...now I want some ANSWERS
Daniel, 30, seeks apology over vile attacks ABUSE SURVIVOR’S CRUSADE FOR INQUIRY INTO ASSAULTS
A MAN repeatedly raped by a teacher in the classroom as an 11-year-old boy is to meet Micheal Martin to push for an apology from the State.
Daniel Cronin’s life was destroyed when he was abused by monster Denis O’shea who was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2000 after being found guilty of two charges over the boy’s rape and four of sexual assault.
Daniel, from Midleton, Co Cork, who is now 30 and working on a building site in London, saw his life disintegrate following the lunchtime attacks on school premises.
He became depressed, made several suicide attempts and left school with no qualifications.
It is only in the last three and a half years that he has begun to get his life back together after “leaving my demons in Ireland”.
Daniel said yesterday he had never received an apology from Midleton Christian Brothers National School, the Department of Education or the State for the attacks.
And he demanded to know why O’shea, who spent six and a half years in prison and has since died, was teaching at the time as other abuse accusations had been made against him.
The teacher, who was also a Catholic Boy Scouts commissioner and took boys away on trips, was off sick for a year but then went back into his job with no school or Department of Education inquiry.
Daniel’s mother Sharon, who has spent 20 years trying to get justice, said: “He was put in charge of special needs where he had access to the most vulnerable children of all.
“The authorities did nothing. There was never any inquiry into O’shea. There had been accusations made about him before so he should never have been in the school.
“After he was convicted of abusing Daniel men then in their 30s came forward to the guards but a judge ruled too much time had passed to prosecute.”
Several victims later threatened a civil action against the paedophile but were given a private settlement.
Sharon said the school had tried to hide the abuse by claiming at O’shea’s trial Daniel was not present on the relevant days.
But the mother of five showed the court Daniel’s school reports which revealed a 100% attendance record.
And when the court asked for the original class roll book – and not photocopies which the school had provided – it showed Daniel had been present.
In her battle to get a full inquiry Sharon met with Mr Martin in 2002, who was the then Health and Children’s Minister.
Sharon said the minister was close to tears on hearing Daniel’s horrific story.
Mr Martin said back then: “What happened to this boy was terrible. The effect on the child and his family was devastating.
“There are guidelines to schools on what should be done in these circumstances. The teacher should be removed from his position pending investigations but this obviously never happened. I was shocked by what I heard.”
But the politician said a full inquiry could not be launched until an appeal that O’shea had launched had been heard.
That appeal was rejected in 2004 but nothing has been done since. Daniel has arranged to
meet the Fianna Fail leader on Friday to put pressure on the Government for an inquiry.
He said: “I am 31 next month and I want answers. I want to know why and how this was allowed to happen.
“It is time to fight my corner. I was only 11 when all this happened. School is supposed to be a safe haven.
“Parents drop their children off and do not expect them to get raped by a teacher who has had accusations made against him before.
“I became an adult overnight. I did not have the happy childhood that other children have.
“I have no Junior Cert or Leaving Cert because I could not cope with the school environment.
“I later went back to college to get my Leaving Cert but I could not handle the classroom, it brought back nightmares.” Daniel added: “I was a garda reserve and dreamt of becoming a guard but I couldn’t do that without the Leaving. “But some great counsellors in Cork helped me massively and soon after I came to London to start a new life. “I am a tradesman now after serving my time as a carpenter and I am a site manager. But the abuse altered me. I was severely depressed and wouldn’t eat and became anorexic. I tried to take my life in the early years and used to be afraid of the dark.
“I’ve never received a penny in compensation and yet if a kid falls in a playground he will get an award.
“When I was 18 I was told I had three years to take a civil case but I was still deeply traumatised and had a lot of personal issues.
“I was no better at 21 and did not go through with it. “Now I am getting my life back I want an inquiry into how this man was still allowed in a classroom after the allegations made against him.
“I want answers from the State. I will have kids one day and I want to know they will be safe at school.”