A nun who attended a health board case conference concerning a boy who had alleged his father was brutally physically abusing him and his sister yesterday said the theme of the conference related to disciplining the boy rather than hearing his case.
Sister Colette, principal of Colaiste Mhuire secondary school at Ballymote, Co Sligo, attended by Gerard McColgan in 1983, told the High Court that a four-member delegation from the school attended a case conference on June 9th, 1983, relating to the McColgan family.
It was the delegation's view that allegations by Gerard McColgan that his father was abusing him and other family members were very serious and should be heard.
But in her view the theme of the conference was more that Gerard should be disciplined, Sister Colette said. "I was uneasy after that conference and I carry that unease today," she added.
Yesterday was the fifth day of the action by Ms Sophia McColgan (27), Castlebar, Co Mayo, and formerly of Ballinacarrow, Ballymote, Co Sligo, against the North Western Health Board and Dr Desmond Moran, Stephen Street, Sligo.
It is claimed members of the McColgan family were brutally physically and sexually abused as children by their father, Joseph McColgan, who is now serving a 12-year jail sentence.
In court yesterday Sister Colette said Gerard enrolled at her school in 1982.
In May 1983, after a teacher found Gerard asleep in class and sent him to her, he cried and told her of being beaten. The next day he told of beatings by his father, being stripped naked, having a concrete block dropped on his fingers, and having his arm broken. He also spoke of his fear for Sophia.
Sister Colette said she suspected Gerard was being sexually abused but the boy did not make this allegation at the time. She understood from what Gerard told her that Dr Moran knew the boy's father was violent. Her sense was that Gerard's story was true and should be checked out. She rang the health board and was told there had been a file on the McColgan family but that was closed. A social worker came to the school next day and spoke to Gerard and herself.
She, the vice-principal, Mrs Mary Candon, the school chaplain, Father Lynch, and a priest who had given a retreat, Father Burns, attended a case conference relating to Gerard on June 9th, 1983. It was her view the school delegation should state that Gerard's case should be heard further.
The view of the conference was more that Gerard should be disciplined, she said. '
She agreed with Mr James Nugent SC, for Ms McColgan, that she had the impression Dr Moran had expressed the view at the conference that Gerard was manipulative and he would not recommend the "soft option" of care elsewhere but believed Gerard needed hard discipline.
Mr Rogers put to Sister Colette that the conference agreed that McColgan was too authoritarian and violent but that there was no basis for legal proceedings at that stage.
Cross-examined by Mr Patrick Hanratty SC, for Dr Moran, she agreed she had no reason to believe Gerard was being abused until he came to her. She said she had no experience of finding Gerard manipulative.
She agreed that the conference decided that Gerard should remain in short-term care. Mrs Mary Candon, vice-principal of Colaiste Mhuire, said Gerard had told her at the end of May 1983 that his father had beaten him.
After he ran to her home and told her his father had tried to hit him with an iron bar, she brought him to the Garda station and Gerard was handed over to Ms Val O'Kelly, a social worker. She was aware he spent the night at a health board care hostel in Geevagh and some time in care after that.
At a case conference her recollection was that Dr Moran had suggested an eye injury of Gerard's was the result of welding without protective goggles. She had no way of countering that suggestion.
Cross-examined by Mr Rogers, Mrs Candon said it was correct that within a few days of contacting the gardai Gerard was in care. She felt quite happy he was being looked after and had perfect confidence in Ms O'Kelly's handling of the case.
Earlier, when answering Mr Hanratty, for Dr Moran, Gerard said he never got an opportunity to speak to his mother when he visited her after he went to England. He said his father had created so much fear in the house "you would be afraid to talk to anybody.".
The hearing continues on Tuesday.