A bench warrant was issued for a former Christian Brother who failed to appear before Galway District Court yesterday on charges relating to the indecent assault of young boys at an industrial school in the west of Ireland.
The man is one of six Christian Brothers or former brothers already facing a total of 80 charges of indecent and physical assault on boys at the school between 1959 and 1991.
Mr Gerry Allen, defending solicitor, said he had received no instructions in the matter. But he added that the accused had been ill for some time and medical certificates had been presented at previous court sittings.
Judge Desmond Hogan issued a bench warrant for the man's arrest, adding that the gardai should exercise their discretion when implementing the warrant.
A second Christian Brother and a former Christian Brother did appear in court. The men, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were remanded on continuing bail until November 4th.
The former Christian Brother who turned up was charged two weeks ago with assaulting a boy at the school in or about 1980, occasioning him actual bodily harm, and with two counts of indecently assaulting another boy in or about the same time.
Judge Hogan remanded both men on continuing bail, having heard that the DPP had directed trial on indictment. He extended time for service of the book of evidence.