His innocence 'was ripped out' that dark night

He is a young 38. He must have been a very young 13. Peter asked, for family's sake, that his surname not be used. He doesn't mind about a picture.

Away from Ireland since 1986, he feels few will recognise him now. He has suffered depression and anxiety and is on four separate medications daily. He attempted suicide at 16. He has been in therapy for 10 years and, since "taking responsibility" - a favourite phrase - for his suffering, has regained a more positive attitude.

In a 20-minute address to the court yesterday he remembered writing a story, The Sorrowful Mysteries, six or seven years ago. It was about a small boy being sexually abused in the dark while he said the rosary. He was that boy.

He was a boarder in Newbridge College, Co Kildare, in September 1977, at considerable sacrifice to his working-class family. It was a cold, sparse place. Away from home for the first time he was in a dormitory with 60 other boys. He had rosary beads given him by his grandmother, who believed all would be taken care of if you said it regularly. He did.

One night in his first six weeks there, the priest in charge of the dormitory made sure everyone was in bed and lights were out. Soon Peter heard someone walking around in the dark. He was frightened. Under the bed covers he said the rosary. A weight sat on his bed. "I could smell his breath, he was that close," he said. Neither spoke.

A hand embedded the beads into his hands and chest. It touched him beneath his pyjama top and moved down to fondle his genitals. His innocence "was ripped out". He remembered the moment as "a really, sad, dark place to be". It still affected him 25 years later. He became withdrawn, wanted to be invisible. Through a Morse of signals he let his parents know. Another boy he knew who was abused by the priest also told his parents.

The parents went to Father Brennan, the college prior. Next day a note on a noticeboard said that, due to illness, Father Mercer was leaving. Peter was taken out of there the following year and sent to Clongowes, "a warm, safe, nurturing place to be". He left at 18 and, when 21, went to the US where he runs a catering firm in Manhattan.

In 2001 his brother-in-law contacted him about applying to the Laffoy Commission. He had to fill in details in a form about his abuser. Through the Internet he located Father Mercer. He spoke to him by phone. The priest did not remember him. They spoke of why he left Newbridge, and the rosary beads. And the priest remembered. He admitted abusing him. At a meeting later with the priest numbers for other possible victims ranged from "7 to 11 to 13", Peter told the court, adding: "What's a victim here or there? What's an abused child here or there?" He had hoped the priest would be more forthcoming, so other victims could be helped. But Father Mercer acted on his solicitor's advice. Which was why Peter went to the gardaí.

He praised Father Gearóid Manning, Prior Provincial of the Dominican Order in Ireland, who had been "extremely helpful". He was less impressed with the order's provincial council.

The Dominicans made a substantial financial gift to him, to help with his therapy costs and as compensation. He had not sought it, nor were there conditions. It was incorrectly referred to in court by Father Mercer's solicitor as "a settlement of civil proceedings".

Afterwards Father Manning apologised "unreservedly for the pain caused" to Peter and his family.