JOHN CONRY FROM BALLYMUN DUBLIN MOUNTMELLICK AND ROSENALLIS JAILED FOR 15 YEARS FOR HORRIFIC SEXUAL OFFENCES AGAINST HIS DAUGHTERS

In a case that has shocked the nation, John Conry, a man originally from Ballymun, Dublin, has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term of 15 years at the Central Criminal Court for a series of heinous sexual offences committed against his own daughters. The offences, which include 210 counts of rape, incest, indecent assault, and assault causing harm, span over two decades and involve multiple locations, including Ballymun, Mountmellick, and Rosenallis in County Laois.

Conry, aged 54 at the time of sentencing, admitted to the charges and made a chilling statement to his probation officer, claiming, “the sex was there for the taking and I took it.” This admission was noted by Mr. Justice Paul Carney during the court proceedings. The criminal acts began in 1968 when Conry was residing in Ballymun, and continued as his family relocated first to Mountmellick and later to Rosenallis, where the abuse persisted over many years.

The family of the accused chose not to make further public statements but expressed a desire for their father’s name to be included in the court report, indicating the profound impact of the case on their lives. Prosecuting counsel, Mr. Patrick Gageby, SC, detailed the brutal and oppressive environment created by Conry and his wife, describing a household marked by cruelty and physical abuse. It was revealed that the children were subjected to severe punishments, including being confined for up to a week on a diet of only bread and water for minor family infractions.

Further investigations uncovered that Conry’s wife was aware, at least in the later stages of the abuse, of her husband’s sexual misconduct towards their daughters. Evidence suggested she assisted him in brutalizing and beating the children. When questioned by Mr. Justice Carney about the involvement of Conry’s wife, Mr. Gageby explained that the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed that she was not to be charged in connection with the offences.

Conry pleaded guilty to 14 sample charges that covered the period from 1968 to 1988, requesting that all other offences be taken into consideration during sentencing. Sergeant Gerry Cawley confirmed that Conry had readily admitted to his crimes against his first two daughters, who had officially reported their abuse. The police arrested Conry a second time when the other daughters came forward with complaints or memoranda indicating further offences, to which he also confessed.

During sentencing, Mr. Justice Carney reflected on the severity of the case, noting that he had previously described a similar case as one of the worst he had encountered. However, he acknowledged that such descriptions tend to diminish over time, emphasizing the gravity of Conry’s actions. The judge pointed out that the only mitigating factor was Conry’s guilty plea, which was made at a relatively late stage, and his expression of remorse, which was also delayed. The court’s decision underscores the profound betrayal and suffering inflicted upon the victims by a man from Ballymun, Dublin, who committed these crimes across multiple locations in County Laois.