IRELAND
The Journal
KERRY LAWLESS WAS abused for about a year by Patrick O’Brien, a volunteer at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin, who would pick him up at the bus stop to drive him to school, stopping often en route to carry out his horrendous crimes.
A teenager from Drimnagh in the 1980s, Lawless came forward and told his parents, the authorities and gardaí about the abuse.
O’Brien confessed, pleaded guilty and received a two-year suspended sentence in court.
However, he soon returned to St Patrick’s Cathedral where he took back up his senior volunteer position.
Earlier this month, O’Brien (now 76) was jailed for 13 years for the rape and molestation of 14 young boys over the course of 40 years.
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