Former brother found guilty of six more counts of sex assault

Former Christian Brother Edward Bryan left a Cork courthouse in handcuffs yesterday after being found guilty of six more counts of indecently assaulting boys at a school in the 1980s.

Members of the jury spent 12 hours deliberating over three days, and a number of them cried and held hands to support each other as their verdicts were delivered.

The victims and their families maintained a dignified silence as they watched the 59-year-old former North Monastery secondary school brother being escor-ted by a prison officer down to a holding cell beneath the courtroom.

Reporting restrictions had been placed on media coverage of past Bryan trials pending the finalisation of yesterday’s case.

It is now possible to report that in Jun 2012, a jury found him guilty of indecently assaulting one boy at the North Mon in the 1980s. They could not reach verdicts in respect of four other complainants.

Bryan had a re-trial in Nov 2012 in relation to those four complainants. That trial collapsed.

A prohibition had been placed on the reason for that collapse in case it would prejudice the trial that ended yesterday. The reason for the collapse was that one of the complainants shouted at Bryan in an emotional outburst from the witness box — in front of the jury — telling him he had ruined his life.

The jury failed to reach a decision on three counts and these were for all the complaints made by the man involved in the outburst in November. The jury was told during the trial that this complainant was serving a sentence for sexual abuse of his nieces in recent years.

However, on all other seven counts — one verdict was delivered on Wednesday — relating to three victims, they returned 10-1 guilty verdicts. One juror was discharged during the trial.

Edward Bryan, aged 59, of Martinvilla, Athboy Rd, Trim, Co Meath, was remanded in custody at 3pm yesterday to return to court on Mar 1 for sentencing. Victim impact statements are to be prepared.

Addressing the jury, Judge Ó Donnabháin said: “If I had a hat on me I would take it off for your integrity, your application, your dedication. The job you did was difficult, you were obliged to do it, you had to sit through five days of evidence. You gave absolute dedication over 12 hours of deliberation. I commend you for that.”