ALEXANDER MCALLISTER FROM CARRICKFERGUS SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENSES IN NORTHERN IRELAND

In a series of disturbing criminal cases that have shocked the community of Carrickfergus and the wider Northern Ireland region, Alexander McAllister has been at the center of multiple allegations of child sexual abuse spanning over two decades.

Back in December 2005, McAllister, who was then serving a ten-year prison sentence for the molestation of four young boys, was brought back into the courtroom to face additional charges. This time, he was sentenced to an additional 12 months after admitting to indecently assaulting another young boy. The court proceedings revealed that in June 2003, McAllister, aged 61 at the time, had confessed to a series of sexual offenses, including molesting a total of 27 boys over a period of 25 years.

Prosecutor Amanda Brady detailed to the Belfast Crown Court that McAllister had provided police with a list containing the first names of the boys he had assaulted. Among these was the victim involved in the recent case, who came forward earlier that year. The victim, now 37 years old, was unable to be identified publicly due to legal restrictions. He recounted that during the summer of 1979, McAllister approached him and a friend at the seaside in Carrickfergus, enticing them with a dare for money. Brady explained that the initial dare involved the boy mooning a passing train, but McAllister then offered a more provocative challenge, instructing the boy to pull down his trousers and lie face down on the ground. At this point, McAllister lay on top of the boy, engaging in indecent assault.

McAllister, who was found to have no fixed address at the time, pleaded guilty to charges of indecent assault and inciting a child to commit gross indecency, covering the period from June to September 1979. His defense lawyer, Kieron Mallon, revealed that McAllister was scheduled for release from prison in May of the following year and would then be subject to a three-year probation period.

Following the sentencing, Judge Lynch ordered that McAllister be registered on the police sex offenders’ register for a period of ten years, emphasizing the seriousness of his crimes and the need for ongoing monitoring.

In a related case from July 2003, McAllister, then aged 58, was convicted of similar heinous acts. He had confessed to abusing young boys over nearly two decades, with charges dating from January 1972 to October 1988. The Belfast Crown Court, presided over by Judge Lord Justice McCollum, sentenced him to ten years in prison, with an additional three years on probation after his release. McAllister pleaded guilty to 32 charges, including indecent assault, buggery, and gross indecency with a child. The judge remarked on the profound suffering inflicted upon his victims, noting that McAllister’s actions demonstrated a conscious effort to plan and prepare for his offenses.

These cases highlight the disturbing pattern of abuse by Alexander McAllister, whose crimes have left a lasting scar on the victims and the community of Carrickfergus. The legal proceedings serve as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance and justice in protecting vulnerable children from predators.