DISGRACED | 

Former Christian Brother and school principal who molested child jailed for one year

The man now in his 40s, told how the incident had left him unable to form lasting relationships. “I will die lonely,” he predicted

Yesterday at 08:30

A disgraced 78-year-old retired school principal was led away to commence a year in jail on conviction for indecent assault of a pupil.

The attack which landed Sean Kent, formerly Brother Kent, before Wexford Circuit Court occurred more than three decades ago. But Judge James McCourt heard how the crime committed in his office at Gorey CBS continues to affect the life the injured party to this day.

In a victim impact statement, the man now in his 40s, told how the incident had left him unable to form lasting relationships. “I will die lonely,” he predicted.

The case was decided by a 10-2 majority guilty verdict returned by a jury of six women and six men. They were told that when the complaint of assault was first put to him by investigating gardaí at his home in Shielbaggin, Ramsgrange, his initial reaction was to deny everything.

He said he had no recollection of the offence and had no idea as to why any such allegation would be made. However, by late last year, the former teacher indicated he was prepared to plead guilty, only to change his mind late in the day.

The matter went to a full trial, with evidence from the former pupil who recalled how he was brought to the office after an incident in a classroom. He was left alone with the principal who invited him to sit on his lap where he put his hand’s inside the boy’s clothing and proceeded to indecently assault the pupil.

He sat terrified while this invasion of his person went on for several minutes before Kent patted him on the bum, told him to be good and sent him back to class.

Barrister Philip Sheahan described his client as a native of County Wexford whose teaching career spanned from 1966 to 1998. During that time he worked in Limerick, Tipperary and Cork as well as spending some time in Zambia. He worked at the CBS in Wexford before taking up the role of principal in Gorey.

After retiring, he carried out some sheep farming.

Counsel described the offender as being in relatively okay health for a man his age. However, he had been taking medication for a heart condition, Mr Sheahan added. “This offence does not define his entire character,” insisted the barrister.

Kent did not accept the verdict, Judge James McCourt was told, and this was interpreted by the court as showing a lack of remorse. In delivering his verdict, the judge was bound to make his decision within the terms of legislation in force at the time of the offence.

The law as it stood in the early 1990s dictated that the maximum sentence for such a crime was five years. The judge described what occurred in the principal’s office as an unconscionable breach of trust by the defendant. The injured party in the case had suffered a terrible sadness as a result, which led to the break-up of his relationships.

However, the court could not ignore that Kent was an elderly man and the risk of re-offending was extremely low.

A prison sentence of 18 months was recorded and, in light of health issues, the final six months were suspended. Reporting restrictions in force during the trial were lifted to allow the naming of the perpetrator in press coverage.

Kent followed proceeding with the assistance of a head-set to accommodate his hardness of hearing. Two members of his family were present in court to see him led away quietly from the courtroom by prison officers through the door leading to the cells.

The guilty man showed no emotion at the announcement of the 12-month sentence.