JUSTICE has been denied to victims of a paedophile former garda after he died at the weekend while facing a new court case.

Jack Dunne (83) abused young boys at the Dublin station where he was based and also targeted disabled children in a scout troupe where he was a leader.

Dunne, who was also known as John Dunne, was facing a new court case after he served a six-month jail sentence for abusing four young boys on dates between 1963 and 1969.

After he was sentenced for these offences at Limerick Circuit Court last year, six new victims came forward and a fresh investigation was launched.

This led to Dunne being charged with 36 new offences in relation to six different victims — all of whom were abused by Dunne in the 1960s and 1970s.

The case was due before Dublin Circuit Court later this year, but Dunne’s death in a nursing home in Limerick on Saturday means that the six new victims will never have their day in court.

A senior source told The Herald: "They are obviously very disappointed about that, his disgusting activities had a terrible effect on these victims who are now middle-aged men.

“It is no exaggeration to say that Dunne was one of the worst paedophiles in the history of our State.

“Gardai believe that there could be dozens of more victims out there — he preyed on the most vulnerable in society.”

Dunne, a garda officer of 23 years, was the children’s liaison officer at Pearse Street garda station in Dublin from 1962 to 1976.

Some of the abuse took place at the city centre station.

He was also a leader of a scouts’ troop from 1953 to 1976 where two of Dunne’s victims had disabilities. Both boys relied upon him for lifts.

Some of Dunne’s victims had polio and it has been alleged he had visited a particular ward at a children’s hospital in Dublin “especially to recruit new victims”.

After he resigned from the force in disgrace, Dunne joined the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament in 1977 where he continued abusing.

In 1986, he received the Probation Act for indecently assaulting a 12-year-old boy.

Religious

In 1992, he attended sex therapy at Trinity House in Chicago for four months and left the religious order in 1997. He then moved to Limerick where he lived for the rest of his life.

He was jailed for six months after pleading guilty to 14 separate counts of abuse against four boys.

One victim told the court he was abused 15 to 20 times.

The abuse included kissing on the lips, touching private parts and mutual masturbation.

The abuse first came to light following the publication of the Ryan Report in 2009 when one of Dunne’s victims contacted gardai.

kfoy@herald.ie