Terenure College abuse: former teacher John McClean convicted again

John McClean, a former rugby coach at Terenure College who is currently serving prison time for sexually abusing 45 boys, has been found guilty of abusing four more youths. Following his abuse of these young men, who were all Dublin Secondary School students, he is currently serving 10 1/2 years.

Eighty-year-old John McClean, who formerly resided at Casimir Avenue in Harold’s Cross, pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to seven charges of indecently assaulting four boys at Terenure College from 1973 until 1990.

Despite the four boys’ desire to remain anonymous, they are content with sharing McClean’s name. Detective Sergeant Charlie Dempsey informed Paul Murray SC that the four young men complained to the gardai after McClean’s previous convictions were reported in the media.

McClean taught at Terenure College from 1966 to 1996. As a rugby coach, he was known by the nickname “Doc” because pupils frequently approached him when hurt. He is a paedophile who preyed on and secluded the children in the college. He would look for victims by roaming the hallways and classrooms.

In 1971, he abused his first child, and he proceeded to do so until 1993. McClean would bring children to vacant offices and changing rooms to isolate them and sexually abuse them while claiming he wanted to treat the injuries they had sustained medically.

On Tuesday, McClean received a two-year sentence. This will be imposed jointly with an 11-year sentence in 2021 for the sexual assault of 22 teenage boys, with the last three years deferred. The Judge stated that he could not impose any more jail time on him because of a decision made by a higher court in the case.

Following an appeal made to the Court of Appeal, McClean was sentenced to two and a half years in 2023 after receiving a subsequent four-year term in connection with an additional 23 victims. Accordingly, McClean received a total sentence of 10 1/2 years for the abuse of the 45 victims.

In support of McClean, Sean Guerin SC disclosed that the court of appeals ruling on a worldwide punishment was based on proportionality and totality. Sean Guerin SC proposed that McClean be given a concurrent sentence as a punishment since his offences in the four new instances are similar to his previous offences and happened simultaneously.

Among the four young men, one informed the guards that he believed McClean was taking advantage of him and misusing his role as a teacher and coach, a “very nasty piece of work“. Another young man’s victim impact statement was read aloud. He commented that he felt as though a burden had been lifted. With the support of his family, he was able to move on. “Justice has been served.”

A “weight of shame” had been lifted, and he felt relieved. Ever since he had been abused, he had been harbouring feelings of resentment and humiliation. He described how he was “robbed of self-worth by a representative of an institution that should have protected me,” ruining his educational experience. The court received the other two victim statements, but they were not read out loud. Detective Sergeant. Dempsey agreed with Mr Guerin that the offence in this instance was similar to McClean’s prior offences and took place around the same time.

The court recognised McClean’s significant medical conditions, such as cancer and heart problems. Numerous references, medical records, and other documents were presented in court. According to Sean Guerin SC, his client has shown remorse and accepts full responsibility for his wrongdoing. According to Judge Martin Nolan, McClean used his position of trust at the school by “molesting and sexually assaulting these particular pupils.”

He said that McClean had previously entered guilty pleas to the other sexual crimes. About the court of appeal, he stated, “This court, and any court in future, that we can’t go beyond that 10½ year sentence”. The Judge credited the gardai for their investigation and the four men for coming forward with their stories.