Jury sent home in trial of former Marist brother

The jury in the trial of a former Marist brother and primary school teacher accused of sexually abusing young boys in a Co Sligo school has been sent home for the evening having failed to reach a verdict.

The 66-year-old man has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 55 charges of indecent assault at the school on dates between July 1, 1968 and June 30, 1977.

He has denied 14 charges in relation to the first two complainants, nine charges in relation to a third, 17 charges in relation to a fourth complainant and one charge in relation to another boy.

Judge Patrick McCartan had withdrawn 20 charges from the jury last Friday, which involved one charge in relation to the first complainant, all charges in relation to the second man and five charges in relation to the third complainant.

He sent the jury of seven men and five women home for the evening after they had been considering the verdict for almost three and a half hours on day five of the trial. The members are expected to resume their deliberations on the remaining 35 charge tomorrow.