Former Christian Brother accused of repeated sexual abuse by former pupil

A erstwhile pupil of Gortnamona Secondary School successful Belfast has claimed helium was subjected to repeated intersexual maltreatment by erstwhile headmaster Paul Dunleavy successful the mid-1980s, Belfast Crown Court heard connected Tuesday.

The complainant is 1 of 9 men who person alleged they were abused arsenic children by the erstwhile Christian Brother.

The 88-year-old, with an code astatine Glen Road successful Belfast, is presently lasting proceedings astatine Belfast Crown Court connected a full of 37 charges of historical intersexual abuse.

The offences, which see indecent battle and gross indecency with oregon towards a child, are alleged to person been committed connected dates betwixt 1964 and 1991 erstwhile Mr Dunleavy worked arsenic either a teacher oregon headmaster astatine 4 schools successful Belfast, Newry, and Armagh.

On the 2nd time of the trial, the assemblage heard grounds from a erstwhile Gortnamona pupil who said helium was repeatedly abused by the school's headmaster, who helium referred to arsenic 'Brother Dunleavy.'

He said that aft seeing a TV study regarding Mr Dunleavy, helium told his woman what happened to him erstwhile helium was astatine school.

He past contacted the PSNI.

A consequent interrogation with police, which was conducted and recorded successful May 2019, was played to the assemblage today.

During this interview, the complainant, who repeatedly broke down successful tears, said helium had a hard clip astatine schoolhouse and that his headmaster, 'Brother Dunleavy,' showed him kindness.

He told a constabulary serviceman that helium often went to the headmaster's bureau and that connected galore occasions 'Brother Dunleavy' told him to beryllium connected his knee, and thereafter helium was subjected to intersexual abuse.

The complainant besides said during the interrogation that Mr Dunleavy "was a immense antheral compared to me" and that his headmaster would archer him, "you are loved, and I emotion you".

Under cross-examination by defence barrister Gary McHugh KC, the antheral rejected the proposition that his information was compensation.

Saying helium has ne'er made a claim, the complainant said: "This isn't astir money".

Mr McHugh past told the complainant that his lawsuit Mr Dunleavy denied allegations of intersexual abuse, but the complainant reiterated his stance and said: "I tin categorically authorities the bulk of my maltreatment took spot during my 3rd twelvemonth astatine Gortnamona" and named Mr Dunleavy arsenic his abuser.

When the defence barrister pointed retired that helium told constabulary successful his interrogation that Mr Dunleavy had shown him kindness astatine school, the complainant broke down again and tearfully told the court, "At the time, I believed what Mr Dunleavy was doing to maine was a motion of affection."

Mr McHugh past spoke of the complainant's "resentment" towards different teachers and pupils astatine the schoolhouse and said to him, "when you saw the quality reports, you were utilizing this arsenic an outlet for each your resentment. You thought 'Dunleavy volition do' and that's what prompted you."

At this point, the intelligibly affectional complainant replied: "Not astatine all, rather the opposite. I person lived with this for galore years, and I would ne'er bash specified a thing."

The assemblage of six men and six women has already been told that Mr Dunleavy has been convicted connected 2 abstracted occasions of a bid of intersexual offences against children successful his attraction astatine a fig of schools wherever helium taught.