Former Waterford principal and priest imprisoned for abusing child
The victim confided in a trusted friend and former schoolmate who encouraged him to report the abuse to An Garda Síochána.
A former Principal of De La Salle National School in Waterford has been sentenced to four years and three months in prison for abusing a child, with the final year suspended.
Con Desmond, aged 91, was found guilty on nine counts of indecent assault against a child between September 1978 and December 1980. The abuse took place inside his office at the school, where he would beat the child with a metre stick while masturbating.
The victim was forced to stand bent over a bin with his trousers and underwear down, while Desmond would ejaculate on to his body and wipe it away with tissue.
Desmond, with a former address of Woodlands, Kilrush Road, Ennis, Co Clare, was known as Brother Cornelius during his tenure at St. Stephen’s De La Salle National School.
At his sentencing at Waterford Circuit Criminal Court, it was revealed by Gardaí that Desmond has previous convictions for offences of a similar nature.
On Thursday, October 29, the victim gave a powerful impact statement in court where he spoke about the lifelong impact of the abuse.
The man, who wished to retain his anonymity, said that he still feels pain when he remembers the abuse.
“I have been through so much counselling in my life. I lost respect for all authority, which set me down paths in life with only darkness in the end,” he said.
The victim used drink and drugs to numb the psychological pain of the abuse, but the memories remained. During the COVID lockdown, he thought a lot about the abuse he experienced, describing it as “like a dam breaking”.
He confided in a trusted friend and former schoolmate who encouraged him to report the abuse to An Garda Síochána. The friend told the court that he remembered seeing the victim with “big red eyes” outside Desmond’s office.
Detectives attempted to speak to Desmond in July 2024 at his home in Ennis, Co. Clare, but he presented as “highly aggressive”.
He was described standing over one Garda with his fists clenched and shouting about “getting weapons”. He vehemently denied the allegations of abuse and described the victim as a “source of trouble”.
At 10:30am on Wednesday, October 21, Desmond was arrested by gardaí at his home in Ennis and brought to Waterford to be tried by a jury of his peers. “You’re evil,” he said to garda members as they entered his home.
Upon arrival to the property, gardaí were informed that the 91-year-old had apparently refused to eat or take his medication for nine days.
Judge Eugene O’Kelly said that the man has a history of non-engagement, and that he was taking deliberate steps to try halt his trial.
Judge O’Kelly revoked his bail, fearing that he would not cooperate unless he was admitted into garda custody.
He was returned to court the following day, and a jury of six men and six women were empanelled.
The victim described how Desmond, then known as Brother Cornelius, would intentionally isolate him from other children, especially around the school bathrooms.
The victim stopped using the bathroom altogether during school hours in an attempt to avoid further punishment. He recalls occasions where he soiled himself in class.
He would continue to be targeted however. Desmond would force him to stand to the back of the line after playtime, and as the other children entered their classrooms, the young boy would be pulled into the principal’s office to be abused.
One day, he made a small hole in the frosted glass on Desmond’s office so that he could look inside to see if he was there. If Desmond was at his desk, the boy knew he could quickly use the toilet without being caught.
The victim told the jury that he did not understand what was happening to him or why he was being targeted by Desmond.
Detective Garda Finbarr O’Sullivan informed the court that Desmond was convicted for indecent assault against a child aged 12-13 years between 1984 and 1985. Desmond entered a plea of guilty and received a suspended sentence of three years.
In 2013, Desmond was found guilty on 13 counts of indecent assault against a child aged between 8-12 years between September 1977 and July 1982. He received a two-year prison sentence in Cork Prison.
Det. O’Sullivan confirmed that the abuse occurred within “the school setting”.
In 1989, Desmond was ordained as a priest and served in the Diocese of Killaloe, Co. Clare. According to the Killaloe Diocese, he was removed from ministry in 2002 after the first allegation had been made.
Judge Eugene O’Kelly referred to the “egregious” breach of trust committed by Desmond. He noted the sexual abuse that took place under “the guise of physical chastisement” as an aggravating factor. He described Desmond as “brazen” in his abuse, which he committed during his “entire tenure” as principal.
As Judge O’Kelly gave his address, Desmond muttered “no, no, no” and “that’s not true” from the defendant’s box. Defence counsel Gareth Hayden referred to the accused’s old age and frail health, saying that he was a man “close to the end”. Desmond received a headline sentence of five years, reduced by nine months to leave a sentence of four years and three months. The final year of the sentence was suspended for 12 months.
Judge O'Kelly praised the victim for having 'the courage to speak out'.
