A former Christian Brother has gone on trial accused of historic sex offences against young school boys.
Paul Dunleavy (88), of Glen Road in west Belfast, is on trial for 32 counts.
The offences are alleged to have been committed on dates between 1964 and 1991 against nine male complainants while Dunleavy worked as either a teacher or headmaster at four schools in Belfast, Newry, Co Down and Co Armagh.
Opening the prosecution case at Belfast Crown Court on Monday, Neil Connor KC said Dunleavy taught from 1955 until his retirement in 1998 while a member of the Order of Christian Brothers.
He told the jury that Dunleavy was a teacher at Armagh Christian Brothers PS between 1960 and 1966.
He later moved to the Abbey Christian Brothers PS in Newry from 1966 to 1973 before returning to the school in 1987 as headmaster until his retirement in 1998.
Dunleavy also taught at St Aiden’s Christian Brothers PS in west Belfast between 1973-77 later becoming its headmaster.
He was also headmaster at Gortnamona Secondary School in west Belfast between 1985-87.
“You will also hear members of the jury that the defendant is also a convicted child sexual abuser. You will hear that he was convicted on two separate occasions of a series of sexual offences against children in his care at a number of schools where he taught,” Mr Connor said.
“You will also hear from a number of people who have complained about his behaviour in this case.
“They were prompted to come forward to make complaints about the defendant in respect of what they say was the abuse they sustained at the defendant’s hands after reading press reports or hearing news reports about the previous proceedings on the television and seeing him on the TV.”
He told the jury that one complainant was in his 11-plus year at Armagh Christian Brothers PS around 1965/66.
Mr Connor told the jury that Dunleavy was interviewed by police about the allegations and he either replied “no comment’' to all the questions or said “it didn’t happen”.
The senior prosecutor added: “It is our case that once you have heard all the evidence in this case you will be satisfied so you are sure and firmly convinced that the defendant is guilty of each and every one of the charges on the bill of indictment.”
At hearing.