Sunday 1 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 21975Indecent assault · Co. Wicklow

Former Boy's Brigade leader Gordon Black jailed for historic indecent assault on two brothers

Gordon Black (73), a former Boy's Brigade leader from Arklow, Co Wicklow, was sentenced to five years in prison (with two years suspended) at Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court for indecent assault on two brothers, with offences committed between 1976 and 1982. The court noted the offences involved 'a high level of grooming' over a protracted period.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced10 Mar
    2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
24 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatBlack pleaded guilty to four counts of indecent assault on the younger brother between 1977 and 1982. (rte.ie)
  • whatThe victims are now aged 55 and 59. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatWhen questioned by gardaí, Black confessed and revealed he had been abused as a child. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereOther offences took place at a location south of Arklow known as 'The Kish'. (rte.ie)
  • whenGardaí were contacted by the brothers in January 2020 after they read an online news report about Black. (rte.ie)
  • courtGordon Black pleaded guilty at Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court to four counts of indecent assault on the younger brother on unknown dates between 1977 and 1982. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceJudge Quinn sentenced Black to five years in prison, suspending the final two years on condition of no unauthorised contact with anyone under 18. (rte.ie)
  • sentenceBlack will be placed on the sex offender register and cannot engage in travel or leisure activity without his probation officer's permission. (rte.ie)
  • sentenceBlack was sentenced to five years in prison, with the final two years suspended on condition of no unauthorised contact with anyone under 18. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherBlack is a widower and father of three from Mill Meadows, Arklow. (rte.ie)
  • otherBlack was a retired van salesman. (rte.ie)
  • otherIn January 2020, Black was given a suspended two-year prison sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for indecently assaulting another young boy during the 1960s. (rte.ie)
  • otherThe 1996 concerns led to Black's immediate departure from the youth organisation he had joined in the 1950s. (rte.ie)
  • otherThe brothers did not report Black to gardaí in 1996 as they were incorrectly advised their names could become public. (rte.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • otherBlack confessed to the crimes when questioned by gardaí and revealed he had been abused himself as a child. (rte.ie)
  • otherThe boy and his family had no concerns about staying with Black as they mistakenly believed his wife would be in the house. (rte.ie)
  • otherIn a victim impact statement, the younger victim said the image of his abuser standing naked was 'burnt into my mind'. (rte.ie)
  • otherJudge Patrick Quinn observed the case involved 'a high level of grooming'. (rte.ie)
  • otherBlack claimed the abuse happened when he was trying to find out if he liked young boys or women, though he did not consider himself homosexual. (rte.ie)
  • otherBlack is now estranged from his own family. (rte.ie)
  • otherBlack had heart problems and prostate cancer. (rte.ie)
  • otherA probation report assessed Black as being at a moderate risk of re-offending with a limited understanding of the impact of his offences. (rte.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe two brothers welcomed the outcome but said the court process had been very difficult. (rte.ie)
  • otherBlack is now estranged from his family. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 10 Mar2023
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, first report
    ‘It brings things to a full stop’: Former Boy’s Brigade leader jailed for historic abuse of brothers

    Reports the sentencing of Gordon Black for historic indecent assault offences against two brothers, including details of the grooming, the victims' 1996 complaint to a Church of Ireland rector, and the suspended portion of the sentence.

    convicted, Gordon Black, 73, male, named, irish (judged from name)Gordon Blackvictim, 55, malevictim, 59, male
  2. 10 Mar2023
    Sentencedrte.ie, follow-up
    Former youth leader jailed for sexual offences

    Provides full detail of the sentencing hearing: the specific offences, the grooming history, victim impact statements, the judge's remarks, and the conditions of the suspended portion of the sentence.

    convicted, Gordon Black, 73, male, named, irish (judged from name)Gordon Blackvictim, 59, malevictim, 55, male