‘St John’s abuser must face justice’
Alleged victim at hands of ‘paedo’ in call for action
A MAN allegedly sexually abused as a child by a senior member of St John’s Ambulance said he can’t understand why charges have not been brought against the suspected paedophile involved.
Mick Finnegan, 40, said justice will not be done until the man who he claims abused him is prosecuted.
The whistleblower said there is more than enough evidence to convict the pervert but he believes there is some kind of reluctance in the system to bring him to trial.
Mr Finnegan, from Crumlin, South Dublin, was just 12 years old when the alleged abuse began at the hands of a senior member of the organisation for which he was volunteering.
While he is full of praise for the way gardai handled the investigation he told the Irish Sunday Mirror he can’t understand why charges have not been brought.
He said: “That’s all I want, that he is brought to justice and I can’t understand why this has not happened. I honestly don’t know why they didn’t prosecute. It seems very strange to me. “The gardai did a great job, I have nothing but praise for them. “But the fact is this man is the subject of a number of criminal investigations but nothing has happened and I don’t know why. “This man is still around. While he is not part of the organisation [St John’s Ambulance] he is still walking around. “I definitely think there is enough evidence to bring a conviction and I can’t understand why at least some charge has not been brought against him. “I made a complaint and the guards investigated but it was never followed up and I don’t know why.”
Between the ages of 12 and 15, Mr Finnegan claims he was groomed, sexually abused and ultimately raped by same senior member of the organisation.
Last week, an independent investigation into St John’s Ambulance uncovered disturbing evidence of modern-day allegations of child grooming and abuse being reported in recent years
It also found the organisation’s garda vetting system is incomplete and poses a serious risk to children.
The state of its current system could create a potential for unvetted adults to gain access to children, according to the investigation which was commissioned in March 2021.
The inquiry took place after several men, including Mick Finnegan, came forward alleging they had been sexually abused as young teenagers by a senior officer at St John Ambulance during the 1990s.
The review found that the organisation still doesn’t have a finalised child protection policy.
Mr Finnegan demanded that any members of the St John’s Ambulance board at the time of the abuse to resign immediately.