A brother of Charity who is already serving 36 years for numerous sexual abuse offences against young boys pleaded guilty to a further 77 counts at Cork Circuit Criminal Court yesterday and was jailed for five years, four of them suspended.
James Kelly, also known as Brother Ambrose, was originally attached to the Brothers of Charity at Lota in Glanmire, Co Cork. He abused numerous young boys in his care there, forcing them to perform sexual acts on themselves and on him. His behaviour came to light following an extensive Garda investigation on foot of complaints received from victims. Judge A.G. Murphy, now retired, sentenced him to two years on each of 18 separate counts when he appeared before him last year.
The court was told yesterday that effectively Kelly had been in custody since the late 1990s.
When he was transferred to Galway, he committed other offences there and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, which he has now served.
It was the intention of Judge Murphy that Kelly's sentence would be reviewed after 18 months and that he would be sent to a suitable safe place run by the Brothers. However, no such place could be found because of publicity generated by the case.
At yesterday's sentencing, victims who had suffered at the hands of Kelly wept and testified that their lives had been ruined by the abuse which they suffered.
One victim said he had suffered in silence all his life because of "the evil monster Ambrose".
When he took the stand, Kelly said he wanted to express his deep remorse for the unhappiness for which he had been responsible.
Judge Patrick Moran sentenced Kelly to five years on one count, as well as to a further five years in respect of a second count. He took all other offences into consideration and ordered that the two five-year sentences, which he suspended to one year in each case, should run concurrently.