A SECONDARY school teacher has rejected as “absolutely and completely wrong” claims that he sexually harassed and bullied a former colleague.
Jim Mooney also denied he was rude to Mary O’Toole or on occasions put his hands on her bra strap while they were in the staffroom. Mr Mooney, a teacher at Tullamore College, was being cross-examined in the continuing action by Ms O’Toole against Tullamore Vocational Education Committee (VEC) over alleged harassment of her by him while they both taught at the college between 1996 and 2000.
Mr Mooney has denied claims he leered at, inappropriately touched and verbally insulted Ms O’Toole and has claimed she had a crush on him and made unwanted sexual advances towards him.
Under cross-examination yesterday by John Peart SC, for Ms O’Toole, Mr Mooney denied suggestions he had been rude to Ms O’Toole in the presence of other teachers and had put his hands on her bra strap on occasions in the staffroom.
He also denied he had deliberately taken her pay cheque on a particular occasion. The cheque had been taken by mistake and he had apologised three times to her over that, he said.
In her proceedings, Ms O’Toole (48), Whitehall Estate, Tullamore, alleges the VEC was negligent and in breach of its duty of care towards her and had caused her to suffer personal injuries and distress.
Ms O’Toole claims she was driven to breaking point by Mr Mooney’s alleged behaviour and this had resulted in her cutting the tyres of his car, an action which she regretted.
She claims the VEC did nothing about her complaints and she had moved to another school in 2001. The VEC has denied the claims.
Yesterday, Mr Mooney denied claims by Ms O’Toole he had exposed himself to her and tried to coerce her into oral sex at his home in May 1998. He accepted there was a huge difference between his and Ms O’Toole’s version of the same events.
Mr Mooney denied he was incorrect in his claims that Ms O’Toole had, on separate occasions in the school’s staffroom, pushed him and hit him a few digs.
Mr Mooney agreed he has brought a defamation action against Ms O’Toole and she has brought a counterclaim against him. He said a complaint was made by Ms O’Toole against him in November 1998 shortly after she had damaged his car and he had denied her complaint. Another member of staff who was the school’s TUI rep had attempted to mediate the situation and the complaint was then withdrawn.
Mr Mooney said he had no knowledge about Ms O’Toole’s claims that she had withdrawn her complaint because she was informed she would be transferred to another school and would be sued by Mr Mooney.
He believed official complaints made by both himself and by Ms O’Toole in late 2000 and early 2001 were not followed up because she was out sick and then legal proceedings were initiated, he said. The case continues.