A Co Kildare primary school vice-principal who was convicted by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of sexually assaulting a boy has been given a three-year suspended sentence. Judge Carroll Moran said the 54-year-old single man escaped a custodial sentence because a leading psychiatrist said his offences were on "the lighter side" and he was unlikely to re-offend.
The psychiatrist said that while the teacher, who has now resigned, had some paedophile tendencies he did not have sexual urges. He had been convicted by a jury in September of one charge of sexual assault and two charges of common assault. The offences happened in 1991 and 1992.
Judge Moran imposed a bond on him not to have any involvement in any society or club with people under 18 years of age. He said the victim impact report showed two of the boys involved had been affected by the defendant's actions but he hoped that with the end of the case they would improve.
"Your behaviour was unacceptable to this court and to public opinion and I would be absolutely horrified to hear it happened to my son of a similar age to the victims in this case," said Judge Moran.
Mr Erwan Mill-Arden SC, defending, had urged the court to deal with his client on a non-custodial basis. He said the defendant was now "in a pitiable situation" after having done much good in the community.
Mr Mill-Arden said the evidence showed the sexual assault involved the teacher hugging a boy and giving him a kiss, while the common assault charges arose from him squeezing another boy's shoulders.
The jury had acquitted the former teacher on three other charges and had disagreed on a further two charges.
Det Garda Patrick Mooney told prosecuting counsel, Mr Denis Vaughan Buckley SC, the defendant was single and living with relatives. He had never come to Garda attention before this and had been heavily involved in local GAA and other community activities.