DAVID CURRY FROM DRUMAHOE SENTENCED TO FOUR YEARS FOR HISTORIC SEXUAL ABUSE IN MCRAE

In March 2014, David Curry, aged 51 and from Milltown View, Drumahoe, was sentenced to four years in prison for sexually abusing an 11-year-old boy nearly thirty years earlier. Curry was convicted after a trial held in the city, facing nine counts of indecent assault and three counts of gross indecency.

The offences occurred between 1980 and 1981, when the victim was just between 11 and 12 years old. It was revealed during the court hearings that Curry, who used to buy sweets for the boy, had established a friendship with him. At one point, Curry took the young boy to a breakers yard he had access to, where the abuse first occurred in a former snooker hall. The initial abuse involved Curry touching the boy’s groin over his clothes, but it later escalated to oral sex and simulated sexual acts. Curry also took the boy to his home, where he abused him in his bedroom. The assaults reportedly happened two to three times each week.

The victim stated that he decided to go to the police because he could no longer live with the abuse. Curry denied all allegations, maintaining his innocence throughout the proceedings. The court was informed that the victim has been severely affected by the abuse and will require additional counselling.

Judge Philip Babington described Curry’s conduct, stating that he had "befriended and groomed the complainant to gain his trust and then abused him for his own gratuitous pleasure." The judge expressed hope for the victim's future recovery, saying, "One can only hope the injured party will improve with help over time."

The court also took into account that Curry, who had no prior convictions, was affected by the convictions, and that both his home and vehicle were damaged. The judge highlighted aggravating factors, including the age difference, the duration of the abuse, and the grooming process, along with the severity of the acts and the harm caused.

In addition to his four-year prison sentence, Curry will serve two years on probation, participate in the community sex offenders programme, and be required to sign the sex offenders register indefinitely. He will also be subject to a five-year sexual offences prevention order, which prohibits contact with any children under 16 without approval and bans him from contacting his victim. Furthermore, Curry has been disqualified from working with children and vulnerable adults. The judge emphasized that these conditions are "necessary to protect young people from harm."