Well-known Daffodil Day fundraiser jailed for abuse after victim spotted him on Late Late

A 70-year-old man has been jailed for two years at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following his guilty plea to five counts of indecent assault committed during the 1980s. The offences occurred when the defendant was a scout leader with the 117th Francis Street Scout Group and also worked as a sacristan at White Friar Street Church. Three adult men came forward after one recognised the defendant on a 2021 television appearance promoting the Irish Cancer Society's Daffodil Day campaign. The men, who waived their anonymity, were aged between 11 and 13 when abused. The abuse primarily involved inappropriate touching and occurred at various locations including the church, scout hall, and the defendant's residences in Dublin and County Longford. Judge Orla Crowe described the offending as a gross violation of the children's bodily integrity and innocence, noting predatory behaviour including exposure to alcohol and pornography. The defendant had a previous conviction for sexual assault in 1997.