Courts / Waterford / Report
Former teacher (81) gets 15 years for rape and abuse of teenage pupils
Summary
An 81-year-old former teacher, Barra Connolly, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for 97 sexual offences against four teenage pupils over 20 years ago. The Central Criminal Court in Waterford heard that Connolly was found guilty of 23 counts of rape, 73 counts of sexual assault, and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material. The abuse occurred at his home in Chapel Street, Lismore, Co Waterford, between 1997 and 2006. The victims, aged between 13 and 17 at the time, were given keys to Connolly's house and subjected to various forms of abuse, including touching, oral and anal rape. Gardai discovered 984 items of child sexual abuse material on his devices. The court was told that the victims experienced long-term emotional and psychological trauma, including suicidal ideation and mental health issues. Connolly, who has no previous convictions, does not accept the jury's verdict. The judge noted the grooming of the boys and the prolonged duration of the abuse as aggravating factors.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Former teacher (81) gets 15 years for rape and abuse of teenage pupils. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Found guilty
When:
- 1997 and 2006 Incident
- 2026-05-21 Publication
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Finding: Found guilty
Outcome: Found guilty; Passing sentence today, Ms Justice Melanie Greally noted the contents of a psychological report, which outlined that Connolly has suffered with anxiety since his arrest and throughout the court proceedings. Ms Justice Greally sentenced Connolly to a global 15-year prison term, which she backdated to when he went into custody in February of this year.
Places mentioned
- The Central Criminal Court
- Central Criminal Court
- Connolly's house
Topics
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