CAREY LYONS: BELFAST AND NEWTOWNABBEY'S REPEATED CHILD SEX OFFENDER

In a series of disturbing revelations, Carey Lyons, a notorious sex offender with a long and troubling history, has once again come under the spotlight for his heinous crimes involving child exploitation. Lyons, who has accumulated an astonishing 68 previous convictions, was recently convicted of possessing over 17,000 indecent images of children, despite being legally barred from accessing the internet. His latest offences, committed between 2014 and 2016, led to a court sentence of three years in prison, although he was due for immediate release after serving time on remand.

Lyons’s criminal record is extensive and deeply troubling. His first known conviction dates back to 2000 when he was jailed for six months after admitting to making and distributing indecent images of children. Police had discovered compact discs containing up to 50,000 images hidden under his bed, marking the beginning of a long pattern of offending. In 2013, Lyons was again in court after being found with a staggering two million indecent images, a figure so large that authorities could only examine a fraction of the material due to resource constraints. Of the nearly 2.25 million images, only about 6,000 could be reviewed, with hundreds classified as highly severe.

His repeated offences have demonstrated a persistent and unrepentant pattern of deviant behavior. Lyons, from University Street in Belfast, has openly admitted to being attracted to girls aged between eight and twelve. His criminal activities have spanned decades, with convictions dating back to 1973, illustrating a lifelong struggle with his compulsions. His criminal history includes multiple charges of downloading and possessing child pornography, with some cases involving the reoffending to re-establish contact with children or to satisfy his compulsions.

Most recently, Lyons was caught with a laptop, hard drive, and other digital devices during a police raid on his Belfast home on the Ormeau Road. The search was prompted by concerns that he had breached a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO). The authorities found 17,753 indecent images and videos of varying severity, which Lyons had purchased just a month prior to the raid. Lyons pleaded guilty to 22 offences, including multiple counts of possessing indecent images of children and breaching the SOPO. The court heard that Lyons had deliberately re-offended, with a Probation Officer stating that he re-offended to be returned to prison, which he considered the only place where he felt safe.

Judge Patricia Smyth, presiding over the case, highlighted Lyons’s long history of offending, re-offending, and breaching legal conditions. She ordered Lyons to serve 18 months in custody and a further 18 months on supervised licence. Given that Lyons had already served his custodial time on remand, he was due for immediate release. The judge also mandated that Lyons participate in an Internet Sexual Offenders Treatment Programme delivered on a one-to-one basis. Additionally, Lyons was ordered to reside at an approved address and was prohibited from having unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 16.

Lyons’s criminal journey is marked by a series of severe and disturbing episodes. In May 2000, he was jailed for six months after admitting to making and distributing indecent images of children. Police had discovered the material hidden in his home, which included up to 50,000 images stored on compact discs. His pattern of offending continued into the 2000s, with a probation order issued in 2013 after he downloaded over 2.2 million images, some of which were classified as highly severe. His repeated breaches and the nature of his crimes have made him a figure of significant concern within the community.

Despite his extensive criminal record, Lyons has shown little remorse. His own father once reported him to authorities, fearing he was in breach of his previous SOPO. Lyons’s own admissions reveal a troubling addiction to viewing child abuse images, and he has expressed a lack of control over his deviant urges. His defense lawyers have argued that supervision and treatment are the best ways to manage his dangerous tendencies, emphasizing his cooperation with authorities and his willingness to seek help. However, the courts have consistently recognized the severity of his actions and the ongoing risk he poses to society, especially to children.

Lyons’s case underscores the persistent challenge of managing repeat sex offenders and highlights the importance of rigorous legal and psychological interventions to protect vulnerable children from harm. His history of offending in Belfast and Newtownabbey remains a stark reminder of the dangers posed by individuals with such long-standing and deeply rooted deviant behaviors.