A man who alleges that his primary school principal abused him several times more than 30 years ago has denied in court yesterday that he withheld details of a financial claim against the former principal from gardaí.
Waterford Circuit Court heard on the second day of a trial of the former school principal, who denies 13 counts of indecent assault against a former pupil, that the alleged injured party had a “substantial” High Court civil claim over the allegations.
Con Desmond (77), Ennis, Co Clare, has pleaded not guilty to indecently assaulting a pupil at the De La Salle national school in Waterford city 13 times between September 1977 and June 1980. He was known as Br Cornelius and later became a priest.
Cross-examined by Elaine Morgan, defending, the complainant said he did not withhold anything from the Garda. “I was dealing with the criminal case. I told the guards whatever questions I was asked.”
He said last week that all of the incidents happened in Mr Desmond’s office.