Sex Scandal Brothers Volunteer For Treatment

There has been a welcome for news that two Co Fermanagh brothers at the heart of a sex abuse scandal have been admitted to a psychiatric unit.

The local Sinn Féin MP Michelle Gildernew said she welcomed the news: "The removal of these two abusers from the Donagh community needed to happen, it should not have been an option for them to return to this small village.

"The fact that these two men continued to live in Donagh, in such close proximity to various amenities for the children was an absolute disgrace.

"Whilst the two men are in the hospital on a voluntary basis and at the minute, it appears that they are free to leave, it is a much better place for them to be, both for their own welfare and to allow the community time to heal," she said.

Speaking of the small rural village where the men had returned to live after being found mentally unfit to plead the case against them, she said: "The people of Donagh, and their victims in particular, have hade to live under the shadow of this for decades, and it is only right that their abusers have done the decent thing and moved on.

"We must still remember that this does not solve the problem and the same problems still exist within the Mental Health legislation and this still needs addressed."

The case of two brothers who abused children in a Fermanagh village for over 30 years but were declared unfit to stand trial is almost unique.

James and Owen-Roe McDermott were given lifetime orders banning them from being with children, and a two-year treatment and supervision order placing them in the care of social services.

They had been living in their own home in Donagh, close to children's play areas and where their victims and their families live.

Two other brothers were also charged with abusing children. In total the four brothers, from Moorlough Road in Donagh, faced 60 charges of abuse spanning five decades.

John McDermott was jailed for nine years in June for the abuse, which was described as frequent, regular and persistent.

A fourth brother, Peter Paul McDermott took his own life during his trial on abuse charges involving two young boys.

See: Sex Abuse Brothers Spark Urgent Review

(BMcC/GK)