Judge throws out sexual assault case against Christian Brother

A Christian Brother has been acquitted, by direction of Judge Tony Hunt, of sexually assaulting boys 40 years ago in a Galway industrial school.

Judge Hunt withdrew all 35 charges from the jury on day 11 of the trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

His decision to direct that not guilty verdicts be returned on all the charges came following submissions by defence counsel, Mr Hugh Hartnett SC (with Mr Philip Rhan BL).

The 72-year-old accused had pleaded not guilty to the 35 counts of indecently assaulting six boys between 1967 and 1973 when they were residents at the school.