Scouting Ireland: Report lays bare repeated lack of action by authorities

A man called the scouting organisation in 1995 after seeing 'Subject A' in full scout uniform attending a scouting event.
Scouting Ireland: Report lays bare repeated lack of action by authorities

Scouting Ireland logo. Picture: RTÉ
Scouting Ireland logo. Picture: RTÉ

A man called the scouting organisation in 1995 after seeing 'Subject A' in full scout uniform attending a scouting event.

He made a phone call 20 years after the senior volunteer started abusing him.  He was just 10 years old and the abuse continued over three years.

He could recall at least eight sexual assaults committed by Subject A, a senior volunteer and apparently held in high regard.

Senior people in the scouting body

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When a hearing was held Subject A did not deny any of the allegations and agreed to leave the organisation. No report was made to the gardaí until recently.

Mr Elliot wrote that other adults who took no action against Subject A, now deceased, had credible allegations of abuse against them as well.

Another survivor of sexual abuse contacted the headquarters of Scouting Ireland in 2018 looking for help.

He complained about 'Subject B', now deceased, who was senior volunteer in scouting and became a member of the board of directors of one of the scouting bodies.

Other survivors have since come forward and

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A senior volunteer told Mr Elliot that it was known that Subject B was an alleged offender and that he was tasked with keeping an eye on him when they were camping.

Subject C is a scout leader, who was also a priest. He was involved in setting up a new scout group in a college and his sexual activities later emerged.

In 1979 one of his superiors wrote a letter to the headquarters of a scouting organisation including written statements from five of his victims. There is no record of it being filed.

After 20 years the priest was complained about to the gardaí and charged with several counts of alleged abuse but because he died by suicide in 1999 his trial never took place.

Subject D, who became involved in a thriving scouting group through his son, turned out to be a confirmed sexual predator.

He had been involved in scouting for three years before allegations emerged about him which had been reported in writing and verbally to scouting headquarters. No records could be found relating to the abuse he committed and was prosecuted for.

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