Former Abbey Primary School Newry Principal, Paul Dunleavy has been handed down a 10 year sentence today at Laganside Court for a litany of charges relating to historical child sex abuse.
The 89 year old Christian Brother was found guilty on 36 charges of historical sexual abuse committed between 1964 and 1991 while working at various schools in Belfast, Armagh and Newry.
Dunleavy having been previously convicted on 2 separate occasions of sexual offences is already serving a term in prison and will begin his latest sentence in May 2026. In total Dunleavy has being convicted of 72 counts involving 18 victims across 3 trials.
Judge Patrick Lynch commenting today said Paul Dunleavy had consistently denied responsibility for his crimes.
“His persistent denials of guilt I can only attribute to a malign stubbornness and an unwillingness to admit to such persons as may have believed in him that he is a child molester,”
“Most notably, perhaps, members of his family whom I’m told are still supportive of him,” he said.
“In this case the world would have been a better place had he not served a lifetime in religious and public service.
“His teaching career has been littered with the shattered psyches of his victims.”
Speaking outside court today, PSNI Det Ch Supt Lindsay Fisher said Dunleavy “used his trusted position as a respected and influential member of the community to carry out his offending”.
“He abused young boys in school, home and other public spaces. We now know that Dunleavy’s abuse has even involved multiple children within the same family, causing untold, lasting psychological damage,” she added.
“Our thoughts today are with the victims that this man preyed on and abused for so many years. It takes huge courage to speak out, to break the cycle of abuse.”
Det Ch Supt Fisher said that
“there is no doubt that Dunleavy’s victims were let down by those who should have protected him”.
“There is only one place for Dunleavy and that is behind bars. He will die in prison.”
