Judge refuses plea by former principal accused of sex abuse

Lawyers for Richard Duffin, 78, formerly of Ballysallagh Road, Cargan, Ballymena, Co Antrim, said he was too ill to stand trial on eight counts of indecent assault, two charges of cruelty to children under the age of 16 and two counts of common assault.

Judge Gordon Kerr QC said that although he was refusing to grant the abuse of process application, one remedy to the case instead of a trial could be to hold a “fact find hearing” in which it would be decided if Duffin had committed the acts as alleged by three male complainants.

The offences are alleged to have taken place on dates between June 1975 and June 1981 against three males while he was principal of St Joseph’s Primary School in Ballymena. He denies all the charges.

Last week, Duffin’s legal team advanced an abuse of process application stating Duffin was not fit to stand trial due to a number of medical conditions and asked for a stay in the proceedings against him.

Defence counsel Neil Connor QC said that according to medical reports, Duffin suffered from Parkinson’s disease and had suffered a stroke in 2014.

The case was adjourned until next month when it will be mentioned at Antrim Crown Court.