JOHN CULLEN'S SHOCKING RELEASE FROM WICKLOW PRISON SPARKS OUTRAGE AND FEARS OF REOFFENDING
| Red Rose Database
Wicklow Rapist
In December 2001, a disturbing case emerged from Wicklow involving John Cullen, a 62-year-old farmer who has long been regarded as a respected member of his local community. Despite his outward appearance as a devout Catholic who regularly attends Mass and participates in church collections, Cullen harbors a dark and heinous secret. Behind his seemingly innocent facade lies a convicted paedophile whose crimes have left deep scars on his victims.
Earlier this year, Cullen pleaded guilty to multiple charges of sexual assault and buggery, admitting to abusing a young man over a period of six years. The victim, who has chosen to remain anonymous, described the trauma as a lifelong sentence, revealing that Cullen's assaults have haunted him since childhood. The young man, now 28, recounted how he was subjected to abuse in outhouses on Cullen’s sprawling farm near Killowen, close to Arklow in County Wicklow. He expressed his horror and disbelief that Cullen was released after serving only 16 weeks in prison.
He shared that it took him over ten years to summon the courage to report the abuse, a process that was both emotionally and psychologically taxing. The victim emphasized his outrage at Cullen’s early release, stating, “He has given me a life sentence. Yet, the State thinks it is right that he should serve just four months behind bars. That is not justice — and I won’t rest until I get justice for what happened to me. I just want that man to serve a proper sentence behind bars, not a few weeks.”
Since his release, Cullen has returned to his farm at Killowen, where he lives with two elderly sisters. Despite his criminal record, Cullen continues to participate in community life, attending Mass every Sunday, where he is seen handing out collection plates and engaging in conversations with neighbors. His character references, including one from a priest and testimony from a Garda detective, were presented during his court proceedings in Wexford in July. However, law enforcement officials suspect that Cullen’s abuse may extend beyond the crimes for which he was convicted, with allegations pointing to years of misconduct involving children on his farm.
One of the suspected victims is a young man who was involved in a controversy surrounding Emmet Stagg’s Phoenix Park incident. This individual, who was a rent boy at the time, filed a complaint nearly ten years ago after working on Cullen’s farm. The case was dismissed by the Director of Public Prosecutions due to insufficient evidence. The victim, who attempted suicide while in custody at Spike Island, later moved to London, where he is believed to still reside. He described Cullen as a manipulative and dangerous man, noting, “Despite the fact that he actually pleaded guilty to abusing me, he still manages to hold himself with pride. He is in church every week collecting money and chatting with people. They don’t seem to find it offensive that he is a paedophile.”
The victim further described Cullen’s volatile nature, claiming, “His eyes turn almost red when he is overcome with anger, and he is capable of anything. I think people are actually afraid of him.” He recounted how he first met Cullen when he was just 13, with Cullen offering to take him under his wing on the farm. The abuse began almost immediately, often occurring in outhouses or secluded areas away from the main house. “He started touching me and then he raped me. I will never forget it as long as I live. He was so strong, and he would just hold you on his knee while he did it. It was absolutely disgusting, and it makes me feel sick even to think about it,” he said.
Like many victims of such heinous crimes, he felt helpless and unable to confide in anyone at the time. Cullen’s obsession with the young boy was evident, as he would follow him when he went out with girls and even peeped over pub walls to watch him. The victim revealed that Cullen’s behavior was almost jealous and possessive, and that he was taught about land and machinery on the farm, often paid well after arguments. Despite Cullen’s relatively modest size, he was described as incredibly strong, and the victim expressed his desire to physically confront Cullen if given the chance.
Over the years, the victim became increasingly withdrawn and depressed, contemplating joining the priesthood at one point. In the early 1990s, he sought help from a counselor at Mejigorie, and eventually confided in his mother. His family was devastated upon learning the truth, and it took years before they fully understood the extent of Cullen’s abuse. In 1998, the victim decided to formally report Cullen to authorities, motivated by a desire to protect other potential victims. “I felt I owed it to other kids who might have come into contact with Cullen. I was a man then and able to defend myself, but a young boy wouldn’t have been if Cullen decided to attack him,” he explained.
He described the process as arduous, taking three years before Cullen’s case reached court. When Cullen finally admitted to the abuse, he was given a lenient sentence—serving only 16 weeks in jail, with the last two and a half years of his three-year sentence suspended. The victim expressed his outrage, saying, “It’s a joke. It’s not justice. I am appealing the leniency of his sentence, but I don’t hold out much hope. I’d love to see him put away for good, but even a few years would be a start to acknowledge what he’s done.”
Now, Cullen is back living on his farm, seemingly unrepentant, and continues to participate in community life. The victim remains deeply disturbed by the leniency shown to Cullen, especially as he sees him driving around Wicklow, seemingly free of consequences. He emphasized the need for a more robust system to monitor convicted sex offenders, criticizing the current lack of a comprehensive sex offenders register, which was supposed to be operational early in 2002 but has yet to be fully implemented.
John Kelly, chairman of Irish Survivors of Child Abuse, voiced his frustration, condemning the government’s slow response. “We are disgusted by this delay. How many more children have to be abused before the authorities realize this is a matter of life or death? Children are being abused by repeat offenders because they are not being properly monitored. It’s disgraceful that after all we’ve been through, we still have no effective way to keep these predators in check,” he stated.
Kelly also warned that Cullen’s early release is not an isolated incident. He pointed out that many paedophiles have been released early due to systemic failures, and called for strict monitoring and surveillance of offenders even after their release. Referencing the case of Sara Payne, he argued that inadequate supervision can lead to tragic consequences. “The man who killed Sara Payne did so because he was not properly monitored after his first release. How long before we face a similar tragedy here? Those in power who fail to act will be responsible,” he warned.
In conclusion, the case of John Cullen highlights ongoing concerns about justice, child protection, and the effectiveness of the criminal justice system in Ireland. The community and victims alike continue to demand accountability and stronger measures to prevent such heinous crimes from recurring.
Earlier this year, Cullen pleaded guilty to multiple charges of sexual assault and buggery, admitting to abusing a young man over a period of six years. The victim, who has chosen to remain anonymous, described the trauma as a lifelong sentence, revealing that Cullen's assaults have haunted him since childhood. The young man, now 28, recounted how he was subjected to abuse in outhouses on Cullen’s sprawling farm near Killowen, close to Arklow in County Wicklow. He expressed his horror and disbelief that Cullen was released after serving only 16 weeks in prison.
He shared that it took him over ten years to summon the courage to report the abuse, a process that was both emotionally and psychologically taxing. The victim emphasized his outrage at Cullen’s early release, stating, “He has given me a life sentence. Yet, the State thinks it is right that he should serve just four months behind bars. That is not justice — and I won’t rest until I get justice for what happened to me. I just want that man to serve a proper sentence behind bars, not a few weeks.”
Since his release, Cullen has returned to his farm at Killowen, where he lives with two elderly sisters. Despite his criminal record, Cullen continues to participate in community life, attending Mass every Sunday, where he is seen handing out collection plates and engaging in conversations with neighbors. His character references, including one from a priest and testimony from a Garda detective, were presented during his court proceedings in Wexford in July. However, law enforcement officials suspect that Cullen’s abuse may extend beyond the crimes for which he was convicted, with allegations pointing to years of misconduct involving children on his farm.
One of the suspected victims is a young man who was involved in a controversy surrounding Emmet Stagg’s Phoenix Park incident. This individual, who was a rent boy at the time, filed a complaint nearly ten years ago after working on Cullen’s farm. The case was dismissed by the Director of Public Prosecutions due to insufficient evidence. The victim, who attempted suicide while in custody at Spike Island, later moved to London, where he is believed to still reside. He described Cullen as a manipulative and dangerous man, noting, “Despite the fact that he actually pleaded guilty to abusing me, he still manages to hold himself with pride. He is in church every week collecting money and chatting with people. They don’t seem to find it offensive that he is a paedophile.”
The victim further described Cullen’s volatile nature, claiming, “His eyes turn almost red when he is overcome with anger, and he is capable of anything. I think people are actually afraid of him.” He recounted how he first met Cullen when he was just 13, with Cullen offering to take him under his wing on the farm. The abuse began almost immediately, often occurring in outhouses or secluded areas away from the main house. “He started touching me and then he raped me. I will never forget it as long as I live. He was so strong, and he would just hold you on his knee while he did it. It was absolutely disgusting, and it makes me feel sick even to think about it,” he said.
Like many victims of such heinous crimes, he felt helpless and unable to confide in anyone at the time. Cullen’s obsession with the young boy was evident, as he would follow him when he went out with girls and even peeped over pub walls to watch him. The victim revealed that Cullen’s behavior was almost jealous and possessive, and that he was taught about land and machinery on the farm, often paid well after arguments. Despite Cullen’s relatively modest size, he was described as incredibly strong, and the victim expressed his desire to physically confront Cullen if given the chance.
Over the years, the victim became increasingly withdrawn and depressed, contemplating joining the priesthood at one point. In the early 1990s, he sought help from a counselor at Mejigorie, and eventually confided in his mother. His family was devastated upon learning the truth, and it took years before they fully understood the extent of Cullen’s abuse. In 1998, the victim decided to formally report Cullen to authorities, motivated by a desire to protect other potential victims. “I felt I owed it to other kids who might have come into contact with Cullen. I was a man then and able to defend myself, but a young boy wouldn’t have been if Cullen decided to attack him,” he explained.
He described the process as arduous, taking three years before Cullen’s case reached court. When Cullen finally admitted to the abuse, he was given a lenient sentence—serving only 16 weeks in jail, with the last two and a half years of his three-year sentence suspended. The victim expressed his outrage, saying, “It’s a joke. It’s not justice. I am appealing the leniency of his sentence, but I don’t hold out much hope. I’d love to see him put away for good, but even a few years would be a start to acknowledge what he’s done.”
Now, Cullen is back living on his farm, seemingly unrepentant, and continues to participate in community life. The victim remains deeply disturbed by the leniency shown to Cullen, especially as he sees him driving around Wicklow, seemingly free of consequences. He emphasized the need for a more robust system to monitor convicted sex offenders, criticizing the current lack of a comprehensive sex offenders register, which was supposed to be operational early in 2002 but has yet to be fully implemented.
John Kelly, chairman of Irish Survivors of Child Abuse, voiced his frustration, condemning the government’s slow response. “We are disgusted by this delay. How many more children have to be abused before the authorities realize this is a matter of life or death? Children are being abused by repeat offenders because they are not being properly monitored. It’s disgraceful that after all we’ve been through, we still have no effective way to keep these predators in check,” he stated.
Kelly also warned that Cullen’s early release is not an isolated incident. He pointed out that many paedophiles have been released early due to systemic failures, and called for strict monitoring and surveillance of offenders even after their release. Referencing the case of Sara Payne, he argued that inadequate supervision can lead to tragic consequences. “The man who killed Sara Payne did so because he was not properly monitored after his first release. How long before we face a similar tragedy here? Those in power who fail to act will be responsible,” he warned.
In conclusion, the case of John Cullen highlights ongoing concerns about justice, child protection, and the effectiveness of the criminal justice system in Ireland. The community and victims alike continue to demand accountability and stronger measures to prevent such heinous crimes from recurring.