Dianne Willmore, who passed from mesothelioma in 2009, won a landmark £240,000 case, holding Knowsley Borough Council liable for her asbestos exposure during school. Her case prompted legal and financial ramifications for local authorities nationwide, leading to increased awareness and changes in asbestos-related negligence proceedings.
Shane Flynn, 35, owner of a Mullingar clinic, was convicted of sexual assault after inappropriately touching a client seeking back pain relief. The investigation also revealed 18 hours of footage showing Flynn secretly filming 35 women during massages, raising further concerns about his conduct and abuse of trust within his practice.
Naveed Rana, a Dublin taxi driver, was sentenced to five and a half years for the assault of an 18-year-old woman after a night out. The court heard how Rana took advantage of the victim’s trust, driving erratically and assaulting her before being apprehended due to her quick actions in reporting the incident to Gardaí.
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The Spiritan Congregation has agreed to settle Derek McCarthy’s (58) sexual abuse claim four years after it was initiated. The settlement was agreed upon at a meeting last week at the Four Courts in Dublin and will also include Mr McCarthy’s legal fees.
The claim stems from the abuse Mr McCarthy suffered while he was a student at Rockwell College in Co Tipperary in the 70s. His abusers, a layperson and three priests, assaulted him dozens of times, with the attacks spanning more than two years. Mr McCarthy was only 13 years old when the first incident of abuse occurred.
One of the priests, his tutor at the time, carried out the abuse under the guise of a “game” during which Mr McCarthy would remove an item of clothing if he answered a question incorrectly. A different priest would have him undress before beating him with a drumstick and forcing him to perform sex acts.
Mr McCarthy was so desperate to avoid returning to school that he intentionally jumped in front of a car near his home in Dublin on one occasion. He finally escaped the abuse when he left school one night and hitchhiked to a payphone to call his father and explain what had been happening.
The school denied Mr McCarthy’s story at the time, accusing the student of being a “sick boy”. Mr McCarthy has described feeling vindicated by the settlement, although it was not about money for him, merely about being believed. He has also noticed a change in his demeanour following the settlement, feeling that he is a step closer to healing from his trauma.
Although he has established a home, family and career in the US, he now returns to Ireland regularly, something he could not do in the decades following his abuse due to these painful childhood memories. Mr McCarthy is only one of over 400 victims who have made allegations of sexual abuse against the Spiritan priests; the majority of these assaults took place at schools. The Spiritans have declined to comment on this claim.
If you or someone you know has been affected by Rockwell College sexual abuse, please reach out for support and legal advice. Contact Coleman Legal LLP at Free Phone 1800-844-104 or email [email protected] to discuss your options and seek justice.
Shane Flynn, 35, owner of a Mullingar clinic, was convicted of sexual assault after inappropriately touching a client seeking back pain relief. The investigation also revealed 18 hours of footage showing Flynn secretly filming 35 women during massages, raising further concerns about his conduct and abuse of trust within his practice.
Naveed Rana, a Dublin taxi driver, was sentenced to five and a half years for the assault of an 18-year-old woman after a night out. The court heard how Rana took advantage of the victim’s trust, driving erratically and assaulting her before being apprehended due to her quick actions in reporting the incident to Gardaí.
Pat Murphy, a 34-year-old father, died after a ruptured artery went undiagnosed at Cork University Hospital. Despite suffering severe chest pains, he faced a nine-hour wait for a CT scan, delayed further by a malfunctioning machine. His family claims this delay contributed to his tragic death.
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