KEY POINTS:
Catholic brother Rodger William Moloney maintains his innocence of child sex abuse charges but it is too early to say if he will lodge an appeal, his lawyer says.
Moloney was last night found guilty of seven charges of sexually abusing boys at the former Marylands special school
in Christchurch in the 1970s.
The 73-year-old was acquitted of another 16 charges.
Justice Graham Panckhurst bailed Moloney until sentencing but told him he should not take any message about the likely sentence from that.
Moloney's lawyer Greg King said after the verdicts were delivered that his client maintained his innocence.
"He's seen this whole ordeal as something that's strengthened his faith," Mr King said.
He said Moloney did not feel he had reflected any embarrassment on the Catholic Church, he said.
"Rodger's a very strong person, he's very strong in his faith. He's always acknowledged that his judgment day that matters to him will come at a different time," Mr King told The Press.
It was too early to say whether an appeal might be considered. "In a sense it's a disappointment but we recognise that it could have been a lot worse than it is.
The guilty verdicts related to indecencies with five complainants who were pupils at the school for special needs boys.
There were three charges of indecent assault and four of inducing boys to do an indecent act - touching his penis.
The acquittals related to other charges of indecent assault, inducing an indecent act, and two involving sodomy.
Ken Clearwater, manager of the Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse Trust, ran from the room in tears after the verdicts were announced.
He spoke to media outside the courthouse about how difficult the decisions must have been for the jury because of the length of time that had passed since the offending, and the fact that the complainants were all disabled.
"If the men were able to articulate themselves like you and I, I think there would have been guilty verdicts on every charge," he said.
The guilty verdicts were pleasing for the complainants, who had now finally been able to have their say about what had happened at Marylands School.
It was long past time that the Government had an inquiry into abuses at the school. He had put that request in front of the Prime Minister and the Attorney-General and would keep on pressing for agreement.
"It was horrendous what happened at that school," he said.
He said the complainants would be "pretty upset" that Moloney had been allowed bail pending sentencing. They had been through "horrendous trauma".
- NZPA
