A 66-year-old former care worker was yesterday sentenced to four years in prison for indecent assault on four boys in a Kilkenny orphanage in the 1970s. Myles Brady, of Griffith Avenue, Dublin, pleaded guilty to seven charges of indecent assault on four males in St Joseph's Orphanage in Kilkenny in 1976 and 1977.
Sgt John Tuohy told the court that the abuse consisted of fondling and kissing. He said the victims now lacked confidence and were insecure, angry and depressed.
Mr Brendan Grogan, for Brady, said he was 66, in poor health and had been receiving counselling since 1995. He deeply regretted the effect it had had on the boys. Mr Grogan said some of the children had been abused by others and they were clearly affected by that.
Judge Olive Buttimer said the abuse had had a devastating effect on the victims. The accused had abused a position of trust.
She took into account the fact that three of the victims had been abused by others, that Brady had pleaded guilty and had made a frank and honest statement, and was probably unlikely to reoffend.
She sentenced Brady to four years on each count, the sentences to run concurrently. The case is to be reviewed in one year. The judge recommended that the counselling continue in prison.
The Sisters of Charity, who ran St Joseph's Orphanage at the time, issued a statement yesterday in which they said they were appalled that a care worker employed there for nine months abused children in his care.
Sister Eugene Butler, provincial of the order, said nothing could make up for what happened to the men and the order deeply regretted their suffering. They were offering independent counselling to former residents of St Joseph's who wished to avail of it.
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