Ex-ref's appeal over convictions for sexual abuse

A GAA coach and former Catholic Scout Leader has been convicted of sex abuse crimes which took place over a 15-year period.
Patrick Francis McQuillan was convicted of the offences at Antrim Crown Court.The father of four, from Moyle Avenue in Ballycastle, was convicted of a total of 38 offences including indecent assault and gross indecency with or towards a child.The offences involved six victims on different dates between 1985 and 2000.He originally faced a total of 51 child sex abuse charges.The scout master, who was also involved with the St John Ambulance as a first aid worker, was acquitted of one charge of indecently assaulting a girl and 10 other charges involving five of his male victims — A GAA coach and former Catholic Scout Leader has been convicted of sex abuse crimes which took place over a 15-year period. Patrick Francis McQuillan was convicted of the offences at Antrim Crown Court.The father of four, from Moyle Avenue in Ballycastle, was convicted of a total of 38 offences including indecent assault and gross indecency with or towards a child.The offences involved six victims on different dates between 1985 and 2000.He originally faced a total of 51 child sex abuse charges.The scout master, who was also involved with the St John Ambulance as a first aid worker, was acquitted of one charge of indecently assaulting a girl and 10 other charges involving five of his male victims

Co Antrim man Patrick Francis McQuillan is challenging guilty verdicts relating to a catalogue of offences spanning a period of almost 20 years.

Lawyers for the 64-year-old went before the Court of Appeal on Thursday in an attempt to have the convictions declared unsafe.

They claimed that the trial judge gave flawed directions to the jury who found him guilty.

Judgment in the appeal was reserved.

In 2014 McQuillan, formerly of Moyle Avenue in Ballycastle, was convicted of 38 offences including indecent assault and gross indecency with or towards a child.

The father-of-four was sentenced to 11 years imprisonment, banned from working with children or vulnerable adults, and given a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) for 15 years.

McQuillan had also served as a part-time fireman and worked with the St John Ambulance.

During his trial Antrim Crown Court heard he used his position in the community to abuse young boys.

His alleged offending stretched from the early 1980s to 2000.

In one case it was claimed that McQuillan indecently assaulted a child he knew through scouting as he was teaching him how to swim.

On a separate occasion, he allegedly sexually abused a victim in a fire station.

McQuillan was convicted of abusing all six of his victims until they were teenagers.

But his legal team advanced five grounds of challenge at the Court of Appeal hearing.

They centred their case on claims that the trial judge failed to give proper directions to jurors.

Following submissions the appeal panel, led by Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan, confirmed judgment will be given at a later date.