Photograph: Collins CourtsA former Circuit Court judge who was convicted in December 2023 of attempted rape and the sexual abuse of six young men when he was a teacher in the 1990s has appealed his conviction. Lawyers for Gerard O’Brien (61) argued that the trial judge’s instructions to the jury were “confusing” and “weighted against the defence”. However, the State side said the suggestion that there were personal views expressed in the judge’s charge was “misconceived” and urged the Court of Appeal to uphold O’Brien’s conviction. The defendant resigned as a Circuit Court judge, having been appointed in 2015, but had been on leave since the allegations came to light. In response, Anne-Marie Lawlor, counsel for the State, said the suggestion that there were personal views expressed in the trial judge’s charge was “misconceived”.

Source: The Irish Times March 11, 2026 16:34 UTC