A MAN who sexually abused boys over an 18 year period has been jailed for three years by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Judge Kieran O'Connor said Bruce Thompson was "obviously a very sick man" and the court had to protect the public. He directed that Thompson receive treatment.
Thompson had two previous convictions for indecently assaulting young boys in England in 1981-82.
The court heard Thompson had worked at a number of jobs which allowed him to win the trust of parents and gain access to children. He has had a number of addresses in both Ireland and Britain.
Thompson (50) of Broadford Crescent, Ballinteer, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting a boy on two occasions in 1978 when the victim was aged between 12 and 13. He also admitted abusing that boy's brother between 1979 and 1981 when he was aged between 11 and 12.
He also admitted sexually assaulting another boy on three occasions in 1994 and a seven year old boy in 1995.
The mother of the seven year old boy said Thompson was working as a supervisor with a Dublin summer youth project when he made contact with her son.
Thompson befriended her through the boy and he agreed to babysit for her.
Her son began receiving therapy in October 1995 and for a while this made matters worse and depressed him.
His mother discovered the abuse when she caught her son telling other boys about sex.
Thompson befriended a Dublin family in the 1970s and stayed in their home on a number of occasions, sometimes for months Det Garda Declan Whelan told Mr Paul McDermott, prosecuting.
His abuse of the first victim mentioned in the charges began one day when the boy's mother was sick in bed. The boy had just brought her a drink and was followed into his own room by Thompson who fondled him.
Thompson assaulted the boy on another occasion as the victim helped him work on a house he was renovating.
In 1979 he abused the boy's younger brother while they were attending a motor cycling event and abused him again in the early 1980s.
Det Garda Whelan said both boys tried to put the events behind them and the matter was not reported at the time to gardai as they believed Thompson had left the country for good.
However, in 1994 they saw Thompson again and confronted him. The wife of one of the men called gardai and when interviewed, Thompson admitted the assaults. He said he was sorry if he hurt the victims but he did not show any remorse, the detective said.
Det Sgt Eunan Dolan said Thompson talked his way into another job in early 1995 and be friended another family through the business. He stayed with this family before beginning renovation work on a cottage in Co Mayo.
A son of the family travelled to stay with him on a few occasions. During May 1995 the boy woke up several times in the morning to find Thompson fondling him.
He told his mother's boyfriend and when confronted Thompson agreed to get counselling. However, gardai were called when Thompson abused the boy again.
Defence counsel Mr Tom O'Connell said paedophiles were secretive people who when confronted usually tried to evade their responsibilities. However,
Thompson always owned up and indicated he would plead guilty.
The Supreme Court recognised this was a mitigating factor because the victims were aware they were believed and would not have to testify to a trial, counsel said.
Thompson's parents had separated years ago and he appeared to have a loveless life. His mother had died two weeks ago but Thompson was not informed by the rest of the family until a week later. His brother had now resumed contact with him, said Mr O'Connell.
Thompson had been in custody since his arrest in August 1995 and he had not taken up bail.