Teacher convicted of indecent assault on nine boys

A teacher has been found guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of indecently assaulting nine boys he taught at a Sligo primary school between 1966 and 1984.

Patrick Curran (aged 59) was a teacher at St John’s National School, Temple Street, Sligo since July 1966 until he was asked to leave when the allegations came to light in 1999.

Judge Michael White remanded him in custody for sentence on July 22 and ordered the compilation of victim impact statements for that hearing.

While Curran remained impassive as the verdict was read out, some of the victims who were in court broke down in tears.

Curran denied an initial 237 counts of the indecent assault of 10 boys between September 1966 and June 1984.

The judge directed the jury, on day eight of the trial, to find him not guilty of 37 of the charges as the complainant in respect of those counts did not give evidence.

A direction of not guilty was also given as a result of submissions in respect of a further seven counts on the indictment.

The jury of ten men and two women took just over four hours to reach a guilty verdict on all remaining counts on day-nine of the trial.

Judge White thanked the jury for its attention to what he called a "very difficult case" and exempted the members from further jury duty for 10 years.

The jury heard from nine men who were indecently assaulted by Curran during their time in his class.

The men 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.

The jury heard these incidents took place on a regular basis during school terms and were unwanted and caused distress and confusion.

A complainant in respect of 20 of the charges told Mr Enna Mulloy SC, (with Mr Fergal Foley BL), prosecuting, that Curran would regularly sit beside him while correcting his work and squeeze and caress his knee, moving up his leg to his penis.

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 ten.

Another former pupil told Mr Mulloy that he captained his class football team as a 10-year-old boy. 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 Ms Grainne McMorrow SC (with Mr Colm O’Briain BL), he categorically denies the allegations against him and called them preposterous and ridiculous.

He denied suggestions by Mr Mulloy that he systematically targeted vulnerable boys who were least able to offer resistance and also denied that he had not believed that a remedial pupil would ever have the courage or gumption to come forward.

Curran said if he sat beside a pupil he would squeeze their knee or put a hand on their shoulder as he was leaving them as a gesture of comfort. He said he saw nothing wrong or sexual in this behaviour.

He said he is a "gay person" with a sexual preference for old people over 65 years old. He said he would not be interested in anyone younger and said "the sexuality of children means nothing to me".