A former Rockwell student who was sexually abused at the Tipperary school in the 1980's says his childhood was robbed.
At Clonmel Circuit Court today 77 year old Henry Moloney – a convicted paedophile- was sentenced to four years for the indecent assault of the pupil while he taught music at the college.
In a victim impact statement read out at today's sentencing – the victim who is not from Tipperary said the abuse blighted his life and that the anger will always be a part of him as he keeps asking himself why he was picked by Moloney.
He wondered if the Spiritan Order knew that the 77 year old former priest – who has a number of prior convictions for indecent assault crimes in the 60's and 70's – was an abuser when they placed him at Rockwell- something that upset him greatly.
The victim said he accepted there was a “lot of good people” in the Order and at the Tipperary school and didn't want this to reflect on them.
In sentencing Judge Tom Teehan said the “effects of the abuse were “devastating” and described the former priest's actions as “an enormously damaging breach of trust”.
He said there were few mitigating factors but among them were Moloney's age – the fact he had prostate cancer and that he himself was abused as a child- He sentenced him to four years behind bars suspending the final 12 months.
In a statement the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, to which Mr. Moloney belonged at the time, said it deeply regrets and apologies for the hurt caused by such abhorrent behaviour.
A spokesperson said the order deplores the sexual abuse of children by any of its members and that its clear policy is to report all allegations of child abuse by any of its members to the statutory authorities and co-operate fully with gardai.
