Pat Cusack was just 11 years old when he first encountered former surgeon Michael Shine in 1974.

He was attending Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda with severe stomach cramps.

The 56-year-old says that even at that young age, Michael Shine gave him "an uneasy feeling, because of his demeanour" and said he felt there was something "creepy" about him.

Retired surgeon Michael Shine sentenced to four years for abusing boys

During a medical examination, Pat says Michael Shine touched and groped him inappropriately.

He described feelings of confusion after leaving the appointment.

"You just want to run like hell. At the time, you're not really sure what you're running from, but you know something bad has happened you. You know something is not right, even as an 11-year-old, you can sense it".

Pat didn't tell his parents who were waiting outside, saying he didn't know how to.

Later that year, he underwent surgery on his appendix, and spent 20 days recovering in the hospital.

It was then he says, that the abuse continued.

"He came to me day and night and performed 'his examination' on me. This same inappropriate examination time after time. It felt like an eternity. I used to spend the time in between each visit, waiting to see could I hear a creak at the door, to see if he was coming."

He said "you just kind of freeze, go to this distant place and hope that it'll go away. Some people may ask 'why didn’t you call out?', you couldn't call out, I couldn't call out."

Pat made a statement to gardaí in 2009 and during this 17-day trial, Michael Shine was found guilty of 12 counts of indecent assault and one count of sexual assault.

The charges relate to seven boys abused between 1971 and 1992.

During the trial Pat realised he wasn't alone.

"It was very funny speaking after the guys had testified, everyone felt the same, everyone felt they were the only one."

The father-of-eight says that what he experienced greatly impacted his life, turning to solvent and alcohol abuse at a young age, and suffering from mental health issues.

He says his family and romantic relationships were also impacted.

"From 11 years old, Mr Shine was instrumental in sending me on a path to this day. Everything he did pre-determined what I did for the next 45 years."

He said he'd been through a "battle of emotion", and said he contemplated suicide at times because he was so upset by what had happened to him.

When guilty verdicts were returned by a jury before the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Pat said it was like an "evilness" had left his mind and body.

Now, he says he doesn’t feel anything towards Michael Shine.

He doesn't view him as an 86-year-old man, but rather the man in his 30s who abused him as a boy.

He described the fact the abuse happened in a place he was supposed to be safe, was his "biggest anger and frustration", and that it had taken so long to get to this day.

Nearly a half a century since Pat suffered this abuse, he believes he got justice, and hopes his journey will give hope to others.