Gardaí to investigate sex abuse allegations

GARDAÍ are to carry out another investigation into allegations of child sex abuse at a centre which housed orphans and boys with learning difficulties.

A garda spokesman said they had become aware of complaints by seven more former residents of the Brothers of Charity-run centre at Lota in Glanmire, Co Cork.

However, one sex abuse victim last night claimed there could be up to 100 people who still haven’t made complaints to gardaí.

The first garda probe into sex abuse at the institution started in 1995 and since then more than 30 people have filed complaints.

Some of these led to the jailing of serial abuser Brother Ambrose, who received a 36-year sentence. The 77-year-old Brother will be released on Saturday after serving just three years and taken to a secret location for counselling.

“The abuse claims date from the mid-1960s to the early 1970s ,” the garda spokesman said.

A victim of Brother Ambrose last night urged all those abused in Lota to come forward. John Barrett was abused by the brother for a five-year period after he went to Lota in 1960.

Mr Barrett, who is now chairman of the Wexford branch of support group Right Of Place, said: “I believe there could be up to 100 victims out there who were abused in (Brothers of Charity-run institutions in) Cork and Galway.”

He said any victim who wanted to seek advice could contact him in Wexford or get on to any other Right of Place branch.