Retired Donegal teacher denies sexually abusing former pupils

September 21, 2022

A former teacher from Donegal denies he sexually abused two former pupils.

Patrick Gerard Sharkey, now 79, appeared before Antrim Crown Court where he pleaded not guilty pleas to six charges against him.

Sharkey, who now lives in Linards, central France, faces two counts of indecent assault against a first complainant on dates between 31 August 1992 and 1 July 1994.

In relation to a second complainant, he faces four similar charges alleged to have been committed between 1 May 1995 and 31 December 1998.

Previous courts have heard the alleged victims are former pupils of Sharkey, who retired to France a number of years ago but was arrested last June when he was visiting family in Coventry.

In court, defence KC Eugene Grant said the defence statement “will be signed and lodged today”, adding that the trial “could go into a second week”.

Freeing Sharkey on bail, Judge Roseanne McCormick KC scheduled the trial to begin on February 13 next year with a review in four weeks time.

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