MICHAEL SHINE'S SHOCKING CRIMES IN DUBLIN AND DROGHEDA REVEALED
In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the Irish medical community, Michael Shine, an 86-year-old surgeon from Ballsbridge, Dublin, has been sentenced to four years in prison for a series of heinous sexual offenses committed over a span of more than three decades.The conviction stems from a detailed trial that uncovered the extent of Shine's misconduct involving seven young boys.
Shine appeared before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court at 1 pm, dressed modestly in suit trousers, a beige jumper, and an anorak.
He arrived alone, wearing a peaked cap which he removed as he made his slow way through a packed courtroom to take his place in the dock.
The proceedings were brief, lasting only about five minutes, during which Judge Martin Nolan delivered the sentence and emphasized the gravity of the crimes.
Judge Nolan stated, “It is well decided by precedence that age is no bar to a prison sentence,” underscoring that Shine’s age did not exempt him from punishment.
The judge also noted that during the four-week trial, Shine exhibited “no expression of remorse whatsoever,” which influenced the court’s decision.
The judge highlighted that Shine, at the time of the offenses, held a position of trust as a medical professional, which made his actions even more reprehensible.
The court heard that on February 9, a jury found Shine guilty of 13 counts of indecent assault.
These assaults took place during medical examinations at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, County Louth, as well as at two private clinics in Drogheda, spanning from 1971 to 1992.
The jury, composed of two women and eight men, deliberated for just over six hours before reaching their verdicts on the 17th day of the trial.
Shine’s criminal history is extensive.
In December 2017, he was sentenced to a year and eight months in prison for sexually assaulting two teenage boys during the 1970s.
That case involved eight charges of indecent assault on six patients at both the hospital and his private clinic in Drogheda, with the offenses occurring between 1964 and 1991.
Despite denying all allegations, Shine was convicted of three charges last month at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Further back, in November 2017, Shine was convicted of indecently assaulting two young male patients in the mid-1970s.
The jury found him guilty of three counts after deliberating for over six hours.
During the trial, Shine admitted to attending to these patients but denied any inappropriate conduct.
One victim, who was around 15 or 16 in 1976, testified that Shine tied him to a bed with rubber bungee restraints and, under the blanket, began massaging his testicles, an act he described as “weird” but felt unable to speak out about at the time.
The second victim recounted that during follow-up examinations for undescended testes at Shine’s private clinic, Shine massaged his penis at the base.
The victim, in his mid-teens at the time, explained that he had convinced himself for years that nothing improper had occurred.
Shine’s defense claimed that he would never do anything to embarrass or upset his patients.
However, the testimonies and evidence presented during the trial painted a disturbing picture of abuse.
As the court proceedings concluded, Shine was remanded on continuing bail until December 1st for sentencing.
It was noted that he had become unwell, and arrangements were being made for him to see a general practitioner.
Despite his health issues, Shine was present in court when the jury delivered its verdicts just before midday, marking a significant moment in the pursuit of justice for his victims.
