BALLET TEACHER WHO SEXUALLY ABUSED YOUNG GIRLS IS JAILED FOR SEVEN YEARS
A ballet instructor who secretly recorded himself committing sexual assaults on two young girls in a storage room filled with costumes has been sentenced to seven years in prison.Leighton Morrison, aged 49 and residing on Galway Road in Tuam, County Galway, created recordings of himself engaging in sexual acts with two girls aged eight and nine during separate incidents.
The court was informed that he also coerced the victims into wearing inappropriate clothing.
Morrison operated three dance academies across County Mayo and County Galway.
He pleaded guilty to six charges, which were selected from a total of 13 offences committed between January 2023 and June 2024.
His convictions include two counts of sexual assault involving an eight-year-old girl and a nine-year-old girl, exploiting a child, and possession and production of child abuse material.
At Castlebar Circuit Court, he received an eight-year prison sentence, with one year suspended.
A probation report highlighted that Morrison posed a high risk of reoffending and must be kept away from children without supervision.
Judge Eoin Garavan commented that regardless of the length of his imprisonment, Morrison would likely remain a paedophile and continue to pose a danger to children.
He emphasised the severity of Morrison’s actions, including the fact that Morrison had recorded his offences, creating a permanent record for his own deviant gratification.
A police officer involved in the case reported that the abuse was uncovered in March 2024 after a girl’s father noticed that she was behaving unusually after ballet class.
She disclosed that Morrison had made her wear underwear with the crotch cut out and had touched her inappropriately.
The girl had previously attended a school programme aimed at teaching children about inappropriate behaviour, which increased her awareness.
Her parents contacted the Gardaí, revealing that another mother’s daughter had also been abused by Morrison at the same dance school.
The second girl described incidents where Morrison helped her change clothes and touched her genitals on two occasions, which left her feeling embarrassed and confused about his intentions.
She indicated she wanted to get away but sat still due to her desire not to offend.
In a victim impact statement, one mother described her daughter’s transformation from a cheerful girl to someone suffering from anxiety, health issues, and nightmares since starting the dance classes.
She lamented the loss of what should have been joyful years.
Another mother shared that her daughter had stopped singing and dancing and now sometimes lies on the floor, expressing feelings of self-hatred and shame.
Her mother recounted how distressing it was for her daughter to be examined at a sexual assault unit.
Judge Garavan stated that Morrison had robbed these young victims of their innocence and childhood, and the effects of the abuse would likely stay with them forever.
The police found over 1,000 images of child sexual activity or exposure on devices seized from Morrison’s home.
Morrison, who had no prior convictions, has been held since July 2, 2024, and received a sentence that was backdated to that date.
Upon release, he is required to undergo one year of probation supervision, including counseling and participation in a sex offenders’ programme.
The defendant was arrested and remained silent during four Garda interviews but provided passwords for his devices and expressed remorse.
Defence counsel Desmond Dockery SC expressed Morrison’s apologies for his actions, describing his conduct as selfish and premeditated.
He also noted Morrison’s abuse of his position as a ballet school owner, which allowed him to betray the trust of parents.
It was revealed that Morrison, originally from Derby in the United Kingdom, had a background in high-level ballet performance internationally.
He later moved to Ireland, where his career was disrupted by the collapse of his business and the impacts of Covid-19, leading to increased alcohol use and viewing of child abuse material.
