Former De La Salle school principal Con Desmond found guilty of sexually abusing pupil

The jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts after hearing how the abuse continued for more than two years before the victim fought back

18/01/2013. Con Desmond, of Ennis, Co Clare, was convicted on nine counts of indecent assault against a primary school pupil. File picture: Patrick Browne

The former principal of De La Salle National School has been found guilty of sexually abusing a child between the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Con Desmond, of Ennis, Co Clare, was convicted on nine counts of indecent assault against a primary school pupil.

Desmond abused the victim within the walls of the school, creating a terrifying environment that the victim described in court as a “game of cat and mouse”.

The former priest, now aged 90, contested the charges and denied committing the abuse.

The trial began in late October at Waterford Circuit Criminal Court before a jury of six men and six women. Niall Storan BL and State Solicitor Frank Hutchinson acted for the State. Gareth Hayden BL represented Desmond, instructed by solicitor Evan O’Neill of Newell, Gillen and Cunningham Solicitors.

Abuse at school

The jury heard evidence from the victim, a friend of the victim and Detective Garda Seamus Halpin.

The victim described how Desmond would deliberately single him out at school, holding him back at the end of assembly lines and bringing him to his office to abuse him.

Desmond would force the child to lean over with no trousers or underwear on and beat him with a metre stick. He masturbated as he beat the child and ejaculated on the child’s body.

The abuse occurred regularly between September 1978 and December 1980. Around Christmas 1980, the victim fought back against Desmond and called him a “child molester”. The sexual abuse stopped after that incident.

The victim did not tell anyone about the abuse at the time because of the stigma surrounding AIDS and homosexuality. He said: “I had butterflies when I went to school. I hated going but I always went”.

In 2024, he was speaking to a friend about their time at school when the friend said: “When you came out of that office, you would always be crying.” The victim replied: “Something happened to me sexually in that office.” 

His friend immediately encouraged him to report the abuse to gardaí.

The victim gave an official statement to Detective Garda Seamus Halpin in June 2024. He described feeling “turned up inside” as his own grandchild was beginning First Class, the same class he was in when the abuse began.

In court, he told Mr Storan: “It’s just something I have to get past. It has ruined a lot of things in my life.”

Unanimous verdicts 

Desmond did not give evidence during the trial, as is his right under Irish law.

The jury deliberated for about one hour and 40 minutes before returning unanimous guilty verdicts on all nine counts.

After the conviction, Judge Eugene O’Kelly confirmed that Desmond could be identified by the press.

Desmond is due to be sentenced on Thursday, October 29, at Waterford Circuit Court.

Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme