Sligo Circuit Court heard today that a victim of sexual abuse who killed his father believed a Marist brother who was abusing him was paying his father. Paul Gordon was convicted of the manslaughter of his father in 1984 and served eight years in jail.
He claimed to have been abused by three teachers while he was a pupil at St John's National school in Sligo and says the sexual abuse destroyed his life and it came to a head when he killed his father.
He believed his father was being paid by one brother - not Martin Meaney - to send him up to the brothers' house to be abused.
The details emerged at the sentencing hearing of another former brother who pleaded guilty to five sample charges of abusing him in 1972 when he was in second class.
Mr Meaney, 65, who was known as brother Gregory, admitted targeting Mr Gordon because he was weak and neglected-looking.
He told gardaí he abused him between 20 and 30 times over a four-month period.
Mr Meaney then moved to Strokestown and from there went to teach in Castlerea, Co Roscommon where he was accused of abusing a number of pupils.
He was convicted of the serious abuse of five boys and was sentenced to 18 years, which was reduced to 12 years on appeal.
In his victim impact statement, Mr Gordon, who is now 43, said he began drinking alcohol at the age of nine and taking drugs at 11.
He said his life was a total mess and that the sexual abuse destroyed his life and it came to a head with the killing of his father.
Judge Anthony Kennedy is expected to sentence Martin Meaney next week.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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