A teacher, described as a "determined paedophile", who indecently assaulted nine boys at a Sligo primary school has been jailed for 12 years by Judge Michael White.
Patrick Curran (59), a teacher at St John's national school, Temple Street, Sligo, since July 1966, was found guilty by a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury last month of 192 counts of indecently assaulting nine boys aged from eight to 12 between 1966 and 1984.
Judge White said the children were at the mercy of their teacher who "cruelly violated them in the basest way". He described Curran as "calculated, deceitful and clever" and as a "determined paedophile".
Det Garda Peter O'Donnell agreed with prosecuting barrister Fergal Foley, that Curran systematically searched out boys to sit beside. He would fondle their legs and genitalia on a "very regular basis".
Det Garda O'Donnell said Curran denied all allegations when questioned during the investigation which began in 1999. A file was sent to the DPP in 1993 but no prosecution resulted.
Det Garda O'Donnell told Judge White that three other teachers from St John's national school had been dealt with by the courts on similar matters but there was nothing to suggest a "collaboration" between them.
He agreed with Gráinne McMorrow SC, defending, that those matters were, in some cases, of a "more serious" nature.
Three of Curran's victims gave evidence during yesterday's sentence hearing. One man said that Curran had "played God" and picked the weakest children believing they would say nothing. Another said he lost trust in people and interest in school due to the abuse.
Ms McMorrow said in the "scale of offending", her client's offences must come at the "lower end".
Judge White said it was clear from the victim impact reports that Curran's victims suffered ongoing effects which extended into adulthood. He said they had lost their sense of trust and felt let down by the system. He said the mitigating factors were Curran's lack of previous convictions, his age and the time lapse between the commission of the offences and the complaints.
Mitigation provided by a guilty plea and remorse was not available as Curran has "vigorously contested" the charges.
The jury heard during the June trial from nine men who were indecently assaulted by Curran. They said Curran would place his hand on a knee and move it up towards the genital area, both over and under clothing. He would squeeze and rub the boys' genitals.
A complainant in respect of 20 of the charges told Mr Mulloy that Curran would regularly sit beside him while correcting his work and squeeze and caress his knee, moving up his leg.
He said he hated wearing shorts as they provided easier access as Mr Curran's hand could go up inside them.
The witness said the incidents occurred on a regular basis "sometimes weekly, sometimes more" over the two years he attended the school between the ages of eight and 10.
Another former pupil told Mr Mulloy that he captained his class football team as a 10-year-old. His team lost and he ran to the changing room in tears at the disappointment.
He said Curran came into the room and put his arm around his shoulders before placing his hand into his shorts and feeling his genitals.
Curran earlier told his counsel the allegations against him were "preposterous and ridiculous". He said he was a "gay person" with a sexual preference for old people over 65.