A NUN facing more than 60 child sex abuse charges has been cleared on the direction of a judge. Sister Mary Theresa Grogan, (62), also known as Sister Peter, was accused of 63 counts of indecent assault against seven girls at a Midlands school in the 1970s.

 

The offences were alleged to have taken place in a classroom and school library between 1973 and 1977.

But after five days of legal argument without the jury, Judge Donagh McDonagh issued verdicts of 'not guilty' on all charges.

The nun burst into tears at the back of the court after the judge delivered his ruling.

Three of the complainants in the case had to be helped from the back of the court whilst a fourth women sobbed loudly in the public gallery.

Judge McDonagh had ruled that the inconsistency of some of the evidence given by the complainants had made the trial unsafe.

- Greg Harkin