Judge cites lack of Garda records as former Marist brother cleared of sex assaults

A former Marist brother and teacher has been cleared of sexually abusing four young schoolboys in the 1970s, by direction of a judge.

The 69-year-old Mayo resident had denied 22 counts of indecent assault between 1977 and 1980.

The trial heard the former Marist brother put the working-class boys at the front of the class, beat them and then took them on his lap where he sexually assaulted them.

The four alleged victims testified but after all the evidence was called, Judge Carmel Smith directed that the accused man be acquitted on all 22 charges.

She found that there was a "fundamental unfairness" in the trial process because the investigating garda failed to keep records of some of the contacts he had with potential witnesses in the case.