Sentencing of former judge for sexual abuse offences is adjourned

A former Circuit Court judge who was convicted of the sexual abuse of six young men almost 30 years ago has had his sentence date adjourned to allow reports to be completed.

Gerard O’Brien, aged 59, of Old School House, Slievenamon Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary was convicted last December by a jury of one count of attempted anal rape and eight counts of sexual assault in relation to six complainants.

The four-week trial at the Central Criminal Court heard the offences occurred on dates between March 1991 and November 1997 at locations in Dublin.

Mr O'Brien was aged in his 30s and was a teacher at a Dublin secondary school at the time. The complainants – four of whom were his students - were then aged between 17 and 24.

The former judge, who resigned following his convictions, had denied all of the charges against him.

During a procedural hearing this Monday, defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC outlined to the court that a number of reports are outstanding and are not expected to be ready until mid April.

He asked the court to delay the sentence hearing, which had been due to take place on March 4.

Anne-Marie Lawlor SC, prosecuting, said she was not opposing the defence's application. She noted her instructions are that the complainants are anxious for the sentence hearing to take place as early as possible.

Mr Justice Alexander Owens agreed to adjourn the sentence date to April 29 and remanded O'Brien, who was not present in court, on continuing bail.

During the trial, five of the victims said they woke up to find O’Brien performing sexual acts on them that they had not consented to.

Of these complainants, four said they woke to O'Brien performing oral sex on them, with the fifth saying he woke to O'Brien licking his face and pressing his penis against his buttocks.

One of these five complainants also said O'Brien attempted to rape him anally. The final complainant's allegation related to an act of masturbation in the toilets of a pub.