LARRY CLEARY'S SHOCKING RETURN TO CO LEITRIM NEAR PRIMARY SCHOOL AFTER SERVING JAIL TIME

In April 2012, a disturbing case emerged involving Larry Cleary, an 84-year-old man with a dark history of sexual offenses against young girls. Cleary, a known paedophile, had previously been convicted and served a prison sentence for a series of heinous crimes committed against three girls aged just seven, 11, and 14. Despite his incarceration, recent developments reveal that he did not return to his own residence but instead moved into a house in Kinlough, County Leitrim, where he now resides with relatives.

Shocking photographs obtained by the Irish Sunday Mirror show that the semi-detached house where Cleary now lives is situated just yards from a primary school. The property’s bedrooms overlook the schoolyard, an area where children play daily, raising serious concerns among local parents and guardians. The proximity of Cleary’s residence to the school has ignited fears and outrage within the community, especially among those who remember his past crimes.

A victim, who was only seven years old when she was abducted by Cleary, expressed her disgust and distress upon learning of his release. Now 36, she shared her feelings, saying, “He served time for being a paedophile and he is now back living in this house overlooking a school. It’s not even his home. There is no justice in the country that he can live here.” She further voiced her fears, stating, “People say that he is now too old and too sick to do anything but that is just what he wants you to think.”

Cleary’s criminal record includes a conviction at Carrick-on-Shannon Circuit Court in July 2010, where he was sentenced to two years in prison after being found guilty of seven counts of indecent assault committed between 1984 and 1991. His crimes involved touching the girls’ private parts, exposing himself, and performing sexual acts. The judge, John O’Hagan, was highly critical during sentencing, remarking, “If you had been younger I would have been sending you to prison for 15 years. I did consider imposing a suspended sentence because of your age and poor health but I just couldn’t go down that road.”

Cleary, who claims to be suffering from cancer, reportedly spent most of his sentence in hospitals, often wearing an ankle monitor. Allegations also surfaced that he continued his depraved behavior while in custody, with reports of him fondling himself in Sligo Hospital, an incident witnessed by a nurse and described as horrifying.

Recently, Cleary, who sports a dyed black comb-over, told the Irish Sunday Mirror that he was released from prison in January. He confirmed that he is now living at the residence in Kinlough, which overlooks the primary school, and insisted he has not returned to his own house. “I have been here since January and I haven’t done anything,” he said. “Our house is down the street but I’m not fit to go in it yet. I’m waiting for it to get warm. I’m not leaving the house, I am right here on the sofa all day. I’m not going near no school.”

His presence has caused significant alarm among local parents, prompting a petition signed by dozens of residents and calls to the Gardaí regarding his proximity to the playground. Despite the community’s concerns, Cleary remains in the area with his wife, Kathleen, and other family members, asserting that he has no intention of moving. He even claimed to have community support, stating, “People in the community stood by me and there was a party for me when I came home.”

Cleary continues to deny any wrongdoing, claiming, “I never was after no one. That’s all badness. They’re only telling you lies. I was found guilty because of the jury, what do the jury know?” His victims, however, remain deeply traumatized, with one survivor explaining, “You never get over it. He took my innocence and my childhood. It took me years to come to terms with it and it was only when I had children of my own that I decided to go forward to Gardaí.” She added, “You feel that you are responsible and you are too terrified to tell anyone. I didn’t want the thought that this could happen to my own children and that’s what made me speak out.”

Her mother expressed her horror at Cleary’s release, saying, “This man was supposed to be dying from cancer and now he is out and about. This isn’t fair.” The community’s outrage continues to grow as concerns about the safety of children and the justice system’s handling of such cases remain at the forefront.