Courts / Dublin / Report
Failure of prison service to bring serial child abuser Tony Walsh to court "profoundly disturbing"
Summary
In the Court of Criminal Appeal on 27 February 2014, Mr Justice John Murray criticised the Prison Service for failing to bring serial child abuser Tony Walsh, aged 59, to court to hear the outcome of his appeal against two separate sentences. A prison van had arrived but the prisoner was not on board, and no Prison Service staff had volunteered to explain the delay. The judge described the situation as "profoundly disturbing" and "terrible, just dreadful", noting the waste of public money and counsel's time. He instructed the Director of the Prison Service to provide a report within two weeks and to ensure the issue would not recur. The appeal concerned Walsh's 16‑year sentence for rape and sexual abuse of three school boys and a 15‑month addition for further abuse. The case was to be relisted for a decision on 19 March 2014.". Tony Walsh pleaded guilty and was convicted.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Failure of prison service to bring serial child abuser Tony Walsh to court "profoundly disturbing". Charges or matters: two counts of indecently assaulting a male in a west Dublin church between November 1978 and April 1979; a further charge of indecently assaulting a male in a west Dublin school between January 1984 and December 1985; two counts of indecent assault on January 1 and April 4, 1979; abusing six victims and sentenced to ten years in prison. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Convicted
When:
- November 1978 Incident
- April 1979 Incident
- January 1984 Incident
- December 1985 Incident
- November 2010 Incident
- June 1, 1979 Incident
- June 30, 1983 Incident
- January 1 Incident
- April 4, 1979 Incident
- Wednesday March 19 Other
- 2014-02-27 Publication
Why: It had to be specially arranged because judges have commitments in other courts, the judge said. CNI source report
Case subjects
Appellant
Charges: two counts of indecently assaulting a male in a west Dublin church between November 1978 and April 1979; a further charge of indecently assaulting a male in a west Dublin school between January 1984 and December 1985; two counts of indecent assault on January 1 and April 4, 1979; abusing six victims and sentenced to ten years in prison (Proven)
Plea: Guilty
Finding: Convicted
Outcome: Convicted; The Court of Criminal Appeal had previously reserved its judgment in the case of former priest and serial child abuser Tony Walsh, who is appealing two separate sentences of 16 years and 15 months imposed on him for the rape and sexual abuse of young boys in the nineteen seventies and eighties. Walsh, who was known as the "Singing Priest" for his role in a travelling all-priest vocal group before he was defrocked, is serving a 16 year sentence imposed on him in 2010 for the rape and abuse of three school boys.
Places mentioned
- The Prison
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- North Circular Road
- Dublin
Topics
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