School apology over sex abuse teacher

Eccles was a former teacher at St Aidan's Primary School

A west Belfast school has apologised to pupils who endured "systematic" sexual abuse by a teacher 25 years ago.

Daniel Eccles, 54, from Tassagh, near Keady, County Armagh was jailed for six years on Thursday, after pleading guilty to 44 offences against 12 boys at St Aidan's Primary School in Whiterock.

Belfast Crown Court heard that Eccles, a teacher at the school from 1967 until 1986, committed the offences between September 1973 and June 1977. They involved boys aged seven and eight.

He admitted 37 charges of indecent assault, five of gross indecency and two of inciting a child to commit acts of indecency.

'Sincere sympathies'

In a statement following the sentencing, an apology was issued by Sean McGuickian, on behalf of the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools and the Board of Governor's of St Aidan's Primary School.

He said they "deeply regretted the hurt and pain" caused to the pupils by Mr Eccles and "wished to extend their sincere sympathies to them and their families".

"The abhorrent actions of Mr Eccles breached the fundamental trust the whole of society righty places in the teaching profession.

"Regretfully, the actions of a small number of teachers like Mr Eccles detracts from the highest standards of service and care that schools, through teachers provide."

The court heard that some of the offences occurred in the classroom when Eccles called a boy to his desk.

He sexually abused him after ordering the other children to put their heads down on their own desks.

The Director of Public Prosecutions is considering further charges following allegations by four more pupils against Eccles for offences allegedly committed in the 1970s.

An RUC detective constable told the court that an investigation was currently being conducted in yet further allegations of sexual abuse against other teachers in the school during the 1970s.

His life, his reputation and his character have been destroyed even without a sentence

Lord Justice Nicholson

Passing sentence, Lord Justice Nicholson said that the accused's actions were "more widespread and involved systematic abuse of vulnerable boys".

He said Eccles was "in a position of trust and he breached that trust".

He ordered Eccles to sign the Sex Offenders Register and said his name should remain on it indefinitely.

He also said that upon his release from prison he would be subject to a 12 month probation order.

Police initially launched an investigation in 1994 when a former pupil made allegations of sexual abuse.

Eccles was interviewed and denied the accusations and the Director of Public Prosecutions ordered there be no action taken as there was no corroborating evidence.

However, the case was re-opened last year when further former pupils came forward with allegations.

The court heard there was no evidence that the abuse had continued beyond the period during the 1970s.

Prosecuting counsel Stephen Fowler said the abuse was "a daily occurrence" and became progressively more serious.

Defence counsel Terry McDonald QC, in his plea of mitigation, said his client was "no longer a threat to society".

He said by pleading guilty he had spared his victims the ordeal of going into the witness box.

Passing sentence, Lord Justice Nicholson said he realised only too well the victims may feel "betrayed" by what they would consider the leniency of the sentence.

But he urged them not to have feelings of vengeance or hatred.

He said of Eccles: "His life, his reputation and his character have been destroyed even without a sentence."