Former Christian Brother denied abuse, court hears

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

The trial of a former Christian Brother accused of historical sex abuse has heard how under police questioning, he denied a number of the allegations saying they ‘didn’t happen’.

88-year-old former Christian Brother, Paul Dunleavy, 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.

In court on Monday, police interviews were summarised by the investigating officer in the case.

Warning - this article contains distressing content

During the interviews in 2018 and 2022, the defendant was shown pictures of the complainants as children.

The police officer who interviewed Paul Dunleavy told Belfast Crown Court that he was asked if he recognised the children, many pictured in school uniform.

On a number of occasions he denied recognising them, for others, he said no comment.

Different accounts from eight of the complainants were also put to Paul Dunleavy during the interviews.

On one occasion, it was put to him that during his time at St Aidan’s primary school, he had grabbed the back of a boy’s head who had been sent to his office and pushed his face into his groin area, with the alleged abuse only stopping as the child flailed his arms out.

The police said that during the interview, Paul Dunleavy said ‘it didn’t happen’.

Another allegation was put to Paul Dunleavy from another of the complainants that he put him on his knee and spoke to him about masturbation before touching the pupil’s penis and making him touch his own penis.

To which Paul Dunleavy said, according to police, no comment and that he ‘couldn’t remember’ the child and ‘this didn’t happen’.

While questioned about an incident while working in Armagh, it was put to him that he watched one complainant take a shower, before drying him and focusing on his genitalia. The police said he responded ‘no comment’.

Paul Dunleavy’s defence barrister Gary McHugh KC put it to the police officer that when dealing with cases such as this from 30, 40 or 50 years go, it is more challenging for police to investigate.

He added that in cases of gathering evidence such as forensic evidence regarding ejaculation it would be impossible. To which the police officer agreed.

It was also raised by the defence to the police that witnesses are difficult to find or could also be dead, to which the investigating officer said yes.

In court, it was heard Paul Dunleavy would not be giving evidence in the trial and no defence witnesses would be called.

The jury of six men and six women has already been told that Paul Dunleavy has been convicted on two separate occasions of a series of sexual offences against children in his care at a number of schools where he taught.