Survivor allegedly raped by jailed Order of Malta volunteer claims his warnings were ignored

Scott Browne (31) is serving a nine-and-a-half-year sentence after he pleaded guilty to a number of charges, including rape, after admitting subjecting two boys to assaults in 2018.

Yesterday, his co-accused, Jordan Murphy (22), who filmed a boy being orally raped after Browne had rendered the victim unconscious with a pain relief drug, was jailed for five-and-a-half years at the Central Criminal Court.

Browne stole the drugs from Order of Malta ambulance supplies.

The drug was penthrox, an analgesic used by medical practitioners, the Defence Forces, ambulance paramedics and sports clubs to administer emergency pain relief.

During the sentencing hearing, the court heard that on two occasions Browne went to the homes of victims and picked them up in a car driven by Murphy.

He then administered the drug by either holding a whistle to the victim’s mouth or holding an oxygen mask to their face.

On each occasion the victim was knocked out and awoke to find Browne sexually assaulting him.

The court heard yesterday that Browne is under investigation for a number of other serious offences, and it can be revealed that gardaí have obtained mobile phone evidence in relation to other victims.

“Browne and at least two other individuals are suspected of committing grave crimes against several other individuals in cases that are linked to the Order of Malta,” a source said last night.

“The other suspects also have links to that organisation.”

One of the alleged victims is Co Longford man Justin Kelly (25), who claims he was orally raped by Browne in 2015 during an Order of Malta trip to Lourdes – three years before the two other children were assaulted.

Mr Kelly said: “The negligence from the actions of [a named individual in the Order of Malta] and the organisation has changed the lives of not only me but its youth survivors who were victims to Browne’s assaults.

“An organisation that speaks about touching lives, changing lives and saving lives, well, I think it’s time they stop fooling themselves and others.

“It’s time they come forward and take responsibility and bring not only closure to me but its active members who are appalled and shocked to be part of the organisation.”

Mr Kelly, who is now based in Bali, has made an official complaint to gardaí, and detectives from Naas garda station are currently investigating. However, he is not happy with how his case is being handled.

He was 18 when he was allegedly raped by Browne in a hotel in France in May 2015.

He said if he could address Browne, he would say: “I am still speechless to him, the predator, the mastermind to his victims – are we just a sketchbook of vulnerable boys who he saw to plan and commit to his fantasy for his own pleasure?

“Is it because he got away with his fantasy of taking advantage of me that he was thrilled to do it again and again? Was one innocent teen not enough to know it is not OK to victimise people for his sexual pleasure?

“He used his position within the organisation to perform his acts of fantasy and succeed. I will never understand or want to understand his demeanour of his betrayal of ‘friendship’ and position within the organisation to carry out such acts of trauma.”

Mr Kelly feels so strongly about what he claims happened to him and how he was treated that he has made a number of TikTok social media videos in which he outlined his ordeal.

Browne was wearing an Order of Malta uniform when he was filmed by Jordan Murphy carrying out one of the rapes almost exactly three years after Mr Kelly was allegedly attacked.

Browne was a volunteer paramedic who had been on a nursing course at the time, which included a placement in a children’s hospital.

He was trained as an emergency medical technician, which gave him access to the drugs.

Sources in the Order of Malta Ambulance Corps have confirmed there is widespread revulsion among its members at the way in which Mr Kelly was treated by the investigating officer in 2015.

Sources said that internally there are serious concerns about mismanagement in how the complaint was dealt with and “a serious web of bad governance” has emerged.

It is understood that this matter was “astonishingly” not reported to the charity’s president and council of trustees, according to a senior source in the organisation.

“Following Justin’s revelations on TikTok and the furore this has created within the order, a full investigation was launched by the president into the entire affair,” the source added.

However, last night garda sources said they were surprised to see that the Order of Malta has only advertised a position this week for a medications officer whose role would involve conducting a regular review of medication management (at least annually), according to the job description.

“And also conduct audits of unit and regional medication management ensuring medications ordered to replace consumed medications are matched against documented records,” the job description adds.

“One might think this is too little, too late and why wait until this week to announce this job. Is it because of the publicity that this case is generating? It seems very cynical,” a source said.

It is understood the job was advertised after another officer resigned from his position, but there is no suggestion this person is involved in any wrongdoing.

Yesterday, Mr Justice Paul McDermott noted Jordan Murphy had come under Browne’s influences as a 15-year-old boy when Browne was 24. He said it was important to understand Murphy had been a troubled teenager who had been plied with gifts by Browne.

He said Browne was the “prime mover” in the offences, but Murphy had a high degree of responsibility and participation.

He said Murphy did not get or administer the drug, nor sexually assault either victim, but he knew full well what was going on.

He noted the video taken was a further humiliation and degradation.