Courts / Dublin / Report
Judge praises victim's 'beautifully composed expression of darkness' as caretaker is jailed for abuse
Summary
Gerard Lennon, aged 76, was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment for indecent assault on a 12‑year‑old boy at St Patrick's National School, Drumcondra, in 1978. Lennon had previously been convicted of indecent assault on four boys between 1969 and 1980 and had served a four‑year sentence in 1999. In the 1978 incident, the victim was lured into a storage room, had his trousers removed, and Lennon masturbated while repeatedly asking the boy if it felt good. The victim's impact statement, read by Garda Anita Brannigan, described the assault as having derailed his life and left him feeling as though he had let himself and his family down. Judge Melanie Greally noted the breach of trust, the victim's youth and innocence, and the profound effect on the boy, and imposed a 15‑month term, the maximum for the offence at the time.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Judge praises victim's 'beautifully composed expression of darkness' as caretaker is jailed for abuse. Charges or matters: indecent assault at St Patrick's National School, Drumcondra on a date unknown between June 1, 1978 and September 1, 1978. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- June 1, 1978 Incident
- September 1, 1978 Incident
- 1969 and 1980 Incident
- 2020-07-16 Publication
Case subjects
Background Person
Charges: indecent assault at St Patrick's National School, Drumcondra on a date unknown between June 1, 1978 and September 1, 1978 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: In 1999 he was sentenced to four years imprisonment for these offences. She acknowledged that the acts committed did not put the incident in the upper range of seriousness for this offence and sentenced Lennon to 15 months imprisonment.
Places mentioned
Topics
Sexual Offences Stage Sentence Violent Crime
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