Courts

Teacher given suspended sentence for falsely accusing former colleague of child abuse

Man (42) made life of fellow teacher ‘a living nightmare’, court told

The judge described the more than 20 testimonials handed into court on behalf of the accused as 'slightly overkill'. Stock photograph: iStock

Gordon Deegan
Mon Jul 1 2024 - 15:19

A secondary school teacher who sent an anonymous letter falsely alleging that a male colleague was a child abuser has escaped jail.

Judge Alec Gabbett imposed a suspended two-month sentence on the 42-year-old father of three at Ennis District Court.

The victim of two false letters sent by the accused said in a victim impact statement that his life had been made “a living nightmare” by the “fictitious allegations” made up by his colleague.

“The nature of this crime is that when you have a problem with somebody you send in an anonymous letter saying that they are a child abuser,” the judge said. “This could have had career-changing implications for the victim, and I have to be mindful of that. I have to mark the seriousness of the events that took place.”

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Solicitor Daragh Hassett, for the accused, admitted that what his client did was harassment of a “vile” nature, but said his client was not well at the time the letters were sent. Mr Hassett said what happens in the District Court “isn’t the end of it” for his client, as the victim has issued personal injury proceedings.

Mr Hassett said his client is also facing disciplinary proceedings from the Teaching Council.

In the case, the accused sent two anonymous handwritten letters to An Garda Síochána and their school principal in March and May 2022 respectively.

Det Garda Joe Cusack, of Henry Street Garda station, Limerick, said the letters purporting to be from students at an all-girls’ school made reference to a named teacher “alleging that he was looking at inappropriate content, including pictures of naked women on his phone, while teaching in the classroom”.

Judge Gabbett ordered that the accused not be identified in order to protect the identity of the injured party. The accused pleaded guilty to sending a grossly offensive communication to another person with intent to cause harm.

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Det Garda Cusack said he was able to identify the accused from CCTV at a local post office from which he sent one of the letters. Judge Gabbett praised the “incredible detective work” that resulted in the accused being identified.

Mr Hassett said that as a result of his client’s actions in sending the letters, the client had left his teaching post by consent, “with an otherwise glowing reference from the principal”, to take up a post in another school. He said arising from this case and the ensuing publicity, his client in his new job was eventually disciplined “and it came as a surprise and a shock to him that he lost the previous support of this new principal, and now that job is gone”.

He said his client is now working in a different industry to support his family. The accused pleaded guilty, has no previous convictions, has paid €5,000 in compensation to the victim and has undergone medical treatment and counselling, he added.

Mr Hassett said his client “has been humiliated locally – everyone knows about the case”. In reply, Judge Gabbett said: “The victim has been humiliated here – being brought into work and accused of child sex abuse is also humiliating.”

Gordon Deegan

Gordon Deegan

Gordon Deegan is a contributor to The Irish Times

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