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Circuit Court judge who sexually abused six young men resigns

O’Brien was convicted at the Central Criminal Court last month of sexually assaulting six young men between 1991 and 1997

Wayne O’Connor

Today at 17:23

Convicted judge Gerard O’Brien has resigned from the bench effective immediately.

O’Brien was convicted at the Central Criminal Court last month of sexually assaulting six young men between 1991 and 1997 when he worked as a teacher at a Dublin Secondary school.

He was also convicted of attempted rape of one of the six men.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee confirmed today the judge had resigned from the bench and this has been conveyed to the President as required under the Courts (Establishment and Constitution) Act.

Ms McEntee had been seeking advice from the Attorney General about options open to the Government and the Oireachtas in the wake of O’Brien’s conviction.

O’Brien, from Thurles, Co Tipperary, is to be sentenced in March.

His trial heard how one of the complainants said they had searched O’Brien online and found out that he was a Circuit Court judge, which became one of the reasons why he made a complaint to Gardaí.

Four of the complaints were pupils or former pupils of O’Brien.

O’Brien had pleaded not guilty to one count of attempted rape and eight counts of sexual ­assault which related to the six complainants.

Ms McEntee said she will not comment further on the matter prior to the court finalising the case by sentencing.

The case is adjourned until March 4.

During the trial Mr Justice Alexander Owens said he would have put O’Brien into custody, however, due to his suffering from phocomelia, he remanded O’Brien on continuing bail.

Phocomelia is a rare condition that can affect the upper and lower limbs. O’Brien is missing both hands and one foot.