FORMER RUGBY COACH John McClean was too sick to leave hospital to appear in court today to face charges of indecently assaulting four boys at a south Dublin school.

McClean (73) of Casimir Avenue, Harold’s Cross, Dublin had been charged in May over 43 allegations of assaulting schoolboys at Terenure College in the 1970s and 1980s.

He had been granted bail and was due to appear again at Dublin District Court today to be served with a book of evidence.

However, when the case was called defence solicitor Dara Robinson told Judge Brian O’Shea his client was not available and a sick note had been provided by McClean’s hospital.

He said McClean was a “very sick man” and his condition was known to gardaí. He asked that the case would be adjourned until September.

However, a State solicitor requested that it should be listed again next week. It would also necessary to grant an extension to complete the book of evidence.

Judge O’Shea granted the State’s application and adjourned the case until 30 July.

Robinson told the court, “ There is no plan to discharge the accused at present”.

Adjourning the case, Judge O’Shea told the solicitor the court needed a little bit more detail.

Some 39 of the offences related to one complainant; it is alleged he assaulted a second boy twice, and two more boys once each.

The charges are contrary to Common Law and the assaults are alleged to have happened at the school on dates in 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1981 and 1982.

At his previous hearing, Garda Inspector Jason Miley told the district court that McClean made no reply when charged. Bail had been set in the defendant’s own bond of €500, with no cash lodgement required.

Conditions of bail stated he had to sign on weekly at his local garda station and have no contact directly or indirectly with any of the alleged victims or witnesses in the case.

He had to surrender his passport within 48 hours, but this can be returned for travel to visit family members in the UK, the court heard.

McClean was an English and drama teacher who also coached rugby at the prestigious school for decades before taking up a position as director of rugby in UCD in the 1990s.

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