Former teacher John McClean has seen his sentence for abusing boys in Terenure College in Dublin reduced by 18 months on appeal.

The 79-year-old serial sex offender used his role as a teacher and rugby coach at the private school to abuse 45 vulnerable students between the 1970s and 1990s.

McClean was jailed for eight years in 2021 for abusing 23 former students of Terenure College.

The now 79-year-old used his roles as a teacher and rugby coach at the private school to prey on vulnerable boys in the 1970s, 80s and 90s.

Later, 22 others came forward and last year, an extra four years were added to his sentence.

He then appealed what was an effective 12-year prison sentence, arguing it was "unduly severe".

One of his grounds of appeal was that the judge had failed to give enough weight to his personal circumstances – in particular his age and health.

The Court of Appeal agreed that the sentence was too high. After setting it aside, the judges resentenced McClean to 10.5 years in prison, effectively reducing the original sentence by 18 months.

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