Boy 'given chocolate' by principal after abuse, court told

Paul Dunleavy (pictured in 2018) denies 37 charges of historic sexual abuse

A former pupil of a Newry primary school has said he was told to "pick a bar of chocolate and go back to class" after allegedly being abused by his school principal.

The man said he spent years feeling angry and guilty for not telling anyone about the abuse he said he suffered at the hands of the accused, Paul Dunleavy.

The 88-year-old former Christian Brother is on trial accused of 37 charges of historical sex abuse against nine men.

The offences, which he denies, are alleged to have taken place between 1964 and 1991 while the defendant worked at four schools in Belfast, Newry and Armagh.

Warning - this article contains distressing content

On Friday, the jury heard evidence from a former pupil of the Abbey Primary School in Newry, County Down.

In a police interview played to the court, the man said the abuse began when he was aged between six and eight years old.

He described being sent to Mr Dunleavy's office to show him some good work that he had produced in class.

He alleged Mr Dunleavy touched him through his clothes and also took down his trousers and underwear.

"He started touching me, saying something to me, I don't know what he's saying, he's touching me and I know I don't like it.

"He's touched my penis and rubbing my penis with his thumb and hand."

The man claimed that after the abuse, Mr Dunleavy told him to "pick a bar of chocolate" and return to class.

'I remember being upset'

He also recalled other incidents in a storeroom and in a priest's house.

On another occasion, the former pupil claimed he was sent to Mr Dunleavy's office to get something from him.

"He asked me something about my parents, I remember being upset about it, it wasn't a nice time.

"He put a hand around my back, my waist, but then his other hand rubbing my leg, front of my thigh and again he's cupping my genitalia - while I'm standing there crying, upset, he's got one hand round me, touching my genitalia.

"It felt like it was going on forever but it was probably only a minute or two."

He said he went back to class, using his jumper to wipe away his tears.

The former pupil said he made the disclosure about the alleged abuse after going through therapy due to mental health issues.

'That didn't happen'

Cross examining the complainant, a defence barrister said his client denied any wrongdoing against the former pupil.

He asked the complainant about another boy who was present at the incident at the priest's house, whom the complainant was unable to identify.

"That was the only time there was another person present, and yet you cannot remember the name of the boy who was there with you.

"If you'd been able to identify him, it would have been possible for people to see if he'd still be about Newry, to see if he'd any memory of this.

"The reason you can't remember is because that didn't happen," the barrister said.

"No, that's not the case," said the complainant.

Asked why he had not come forward about the abuse until recently, he said: "I often thought about going to the police. Any time I considered it, I lost the courage to do it.

"I always felt ashamed, embarrassed, disgusted about it, for those reasons I sat on this until the time I made the disclosure."

He added: "I never challenged him on it and that annoys me more than anything. I didn't stop him so he thought this is ok I'm going to keep doing it.

"I feel guilty about it because part of me says you let this happen because you didn't say no, you didn't tell anyone."

'I was frightened'

A second man gave evidence relating to when he was a former pupil of St Aidan's PS in west Belfast.

He said he remembered being sent to Mr Dunleavy's office after falling and hurting himself in the playground.

"He told me to open my mouth and he put his penis into my mouth and I did it. I don't know why I did it, but I did it. I don't know why I didn't run."

He said it lasted a couple of minutes, but felt like "forever".

"The bell rang, I went back to class and I pretended nothing had happened.

"I was scared, I was frightened."

He said he was aged about seven to eight years old, but could not remember exactly.

A defence barrister told the court that Mr Dunleavy was not teaching at St Aidan's in that time period.

"It was a long time ago... I can't remember," said the complainant.