PATRICK NAUGHTON: GALWAY PAEDOPHILE LIVING NEAR KIDS CENTRE SHOCKS LOCALS

In January 2017, residents of Galway were left stunned and alarmed after discovering that Patrick Naughton, a man with a dark and violent criminal history, had taken up residence just yards from a Diocesan Youth Centre in Athlone. The revelation came unexpectedly when local Gardaí inadvertently alerted neighbors to his presence, after attempting to speak with him over alleged driving offences.

Neighbors recounted their shock upon learning that the middle-aged man, who had been masquerading as an unemployed bachelor, was in fact Patrick Naughton, a convicted child rapist. The community only became aware of his true identity and past after two plain-clothes Garda officers visited the apartment complex at Maheran House during the Christmas week. The officers made two separate visits, one around 9:30 pm and another at approximately 11:30 pm, but Naughton was not at home on either occasion.

According to residents, one individual encountered Naughton and inquired about the Gardaí’s interest in him. Naughton claimed that the police were investigating him over motoring offences. It was only after this interaction that a neighbor, who had spoken to the Gardaí, decided to look up the name provided and discovered an article on the Sunday World website revealing Naughton’s true identity and criminal background.

Further details emerged from past reports, including the horrific case of Naughton’s abuse of his own daughter, Barbara. It was revealed that he subjected her to six years of systematic rape and death threats, beginning when she was just nine years old. Naughton’s heinous actions led to his imprisonment in April 2001 for 11 years after he was convicted of abusing Barbara over that six-year period. The abuse was so frequent that Barbara could not recall specific dates, as assaults occurred almost weekly. Naughton’s threats included terrifying warnings that he would throw her into a bog with a rope around her neck, ensuring her body would never be found.

One particularly chilling incident was on June 19, 1997, when Naughton nearly choked Barbara to death. Her mother recounted waking up one night to screams from her daughter’s bedroom, only to find Naughton in the room. When questioned, he responded with violence, lashing out with his fists. Naughton’s violence extended beyond his daughter; he also beat his wife so severely on multiple occasions that she ended up hospitalized.

Barbara finally contacted Gardaí in Galway in December 1997 to make a formal complaint, supported by her mother and sister. Her brothers, however, refused to believe her and backed their father. The case, which involved detailed testimony over seven days, exposed the extent of Naughton’s brutality and systematic abuse. The court heard that Naughton’s assaults and threats made her life a living hell, with incidents occurring even at her place of employment at a local school.

During the trial, Barbara waived her right to anonymity, publicly naming her abuser and sharing her harrowing story. Her courage in court was evident, as she articulated the pain and fear she endured for years. The case also drew political scandal when it was revealed that someone associated with politician Bobby Molloy attempted to influence the judicial process by contacting the judge, Mr Justice Philip O’Sullivan, seeking to clarify whether he had received correspondence from Naughton’s sister, Anne.

In August of the previous year, Naughton had publicly claimed that Molloy’s downfall was unrelated to him, denying any involvement. Neighbors in Athlone expressed frustration at the local authorities for failing to notify them that a convicted paedophile was living so close to a youth centre, raising concerns about community safety and transparency.

Patrick Naughton’s criminal history is extensive. After his release in May 2012, he was seen in Galway, peering from a battered Mercedes outside an apartment building, engaging in disturbing voyeuristic behavior. When confronted, he refused to apologize to his daughter and warned the journalist to leave. His past convictions include a brutal six-year campaign of sexual abuse against his daughter, which culminated in his 2001 conviction and subsequent 11-year prison sentence. His crimes involved repeated rapes, threats of murder, and physical violence, including beatings that resulted in hospital stays for his wife.

His daughter, now 23, has spoken out about her desire to rebuild her life, though the scars of her trauma remain. The revelations of her father’s past and the political scandal surrounding Molloy’s attempted interference have reopened wounds and highlighted systemic failures in protecting vulnerable children and communities.

In court, the judge, Mr Justice Philip O’Sullivan, sentenced Naughton to 11 years in prison and ordered that his name be added to the sex offenders register. The judge emphasized that justice must be transparent and publicly accessible, dismissing any notion of behind-the-scenes influence. As Naughton was taken away to begin his sentence, he was no longer smiling, a stark contrast to his earlier smirks in court, symbolizing the gravity of his crimes and the community’s demand for justice.