Child-care worker David Murray, who sexually abused orphan boys in the 1970s and his foster-sons a decade later, was an "obsessive, fixated paedophile" said Judge Joseph Mathews, who yesterday jailed him for 10 years.
He described the case at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court as "a Kafkaesque nightmare" and said the eight victims who gave evidence were "living examples of profiles in courage whom I salute for their tenacity and bravery"
Murray's abuse of so many young people in care had caused a haemorrhage of suffering which the hearing could not staunch. The only good thing was that the matter was now "all out in the open" after Murray had convicted himself by his own admission in public.
Judge Mathews said: "Never in the history of child care in this State has one child-care worker caused so much damage. If these sad facts teach us anything, it is that we must listen to those who cannot and have not in the past been heard. The core problem was that this compulsive, obsessive, fixated paedophile was put in a position of authority over vulnerable young boys".
He noted evidence that when one victim's complaint was relayed to someone in authority at the orphanage by another employee, "nobody really was found to listen and act on the information that was being put across".
Judge Mathews said it was clear Murray could be a good father, but he also had "a secret second life regarding his sexuality". His foster-sons began to regard his sinister sexual practices as the norm.
"Like Pavlovian dogs they would take off their clothes to be sexually assaulted and for them this became the norm," he added.
Judge Mathews directed that Murray's home address should not be given to protect his wife and young daughter. He was told that Murray's wife is also a qualified care worker who was a former nun he met on a child-care course in 1970.
Murray (53), from north Co Dublin, originally faced a total of 271 charges of buggery, indecent assault and gross indecency but pleaded guilty at his trial in October for sexual assaults on his foster-sons to a total of 34 sample charges.
These included 25 charges relating to offences between 1971 and 1976 on 10 residents of St Joseph's Orphanage in Kilkenny run by the Sisters of Charity.
The other nine offences he admitted related to the abuse of his foster-sons in the 1980s. He originally faced 115 charges in relation to them but after they gave evidence he changed his plea on the sixth day of the trial.
Mr Denis Vaughan Buckley SC, prosecuting, told Judge Mathews then that the State accepted his guilty plea on the sample charges relating to all his victims on the basis that the entire evidence would be open to the court.
Judge Mathews imposed nine terms of 10 years imprisonment for buggery; 17 terms of four years each for indecent assault, and eight terms of one year each for gross indecency. He directed that all the sentences run concurrently.
Earlier, Mr Brendan Grogan SC, defending, said the case was one of "most moving and emotional experiences" for him in his career. The testimony from the victims had been powerful and all who heard it could not but be moved by it.
"It is of great significance also that for the first time ever, David Murray has realised the dreadful effect he has had on these young men and he has asked me to express his sincere regret for his behaviour," Mr Grogan said.
While it might be wondered at, there were some positive things said about Murray in at least one victim impact report and in other testimonials about how he behaved in dealing with other people's problems when asked.
Mr Grogan said Murray's wife and daughter had also commented well on him as a father and provider. They were standing by him but had their own lives to lead and were being counselled on how to cope with that.
It was unusual for a man of 53 to face his first criminal conviction. He had to be punished but asked for the greatest degree of mercy possible because he would have his own problems to face when he left prison
Supt Vincent Duff said Murray was arrested in 1995 as a result of information which came to gardai during investigations of complaints against another person.
Murray made a voluntary statement claiming and admitting a series of "sexual encounters" involving fondling boys' genitals over many years but denied allegations of buggery.
After the hearing, the provincial of the Religious Sisters of Charity, Sister Eugene Butler, said the order was "appalled and angry" that children in its care were subjected to the abuse outlined in the court. "We feel deeply for the men who were in court and are incensed at the mental and physical suffering they've had to endure," she said.
Sister Eugene added that the order was making available a confidential telephone help-line to former residents of St Joseph's who might want to talk to independent trained counsellors.
The help-line, 1 800-33-1234, is run by the Congregations of Religious in Ireland and is staffed by lay professionals. Using it does not affect anyone's legal rights, the order's statement added.
Solicitors acting for some victims indicated also that civil proceedings were being taken against a number of groups, including the Sisters of Charity, the South Eastern Health Board, the Ministers for Justice, Education and Health, Ireland and the Attorney General.
Statements on behalf of the victims rejected claims that people in authority were unaware of the abuse they suffered from Murray and alleged they had not received a personal apology from anyone for the treatment meted out to them by him in Kilkenny.
The hearing was attended by legal representatives on behalf of several of the victims, the South Eastern Health Board, and the Sisters of Charity.