The death of a Belfast schoolteacher who hanged himself just hours before he was due to face child sex abuse charges was referred to at the Magistrates' Court yesterday.
A solicitor for another teacher, Mr Patrick Fleming (56), who is charged with sexually assaulting a teenage girl, said he had been badly affected by the suicide. Mr Fleming, from Finaghy Park North, Belfast, has been suspended from duty at St Louise's College in west Belfast, where the offence is alleged to have taken place in the early 1980s.
He has been on bail for three months and yesterday his solicitor said he was not happy with the progress in the case.
Mr Eamon O'Connor said the defendant had been `'very badly affected" by the suicide of the other teacher and was on increased medication. He said he hoped the prosecution would soon announce a date for a preliminary inquiry.
A lawyer for the DPP said an interim direction had been issued and the preliminary inquiry papers were being considered.
Resident Magistrate Mr Harry McKibbin remanded Mr Fleming on continuing bail until January 22nd.