WALTER LEACY FROM CO. WATERFORD AND WEXFORD SENTENCED TO NINE YEARS FOR ABUSE OF THREE YOUNG GIRLS IN WEXFORD

In June 2015, a devastating case of long-standing sexual abuse culminated in a Wexford man receiving a nine-year prison sentence after being found guilty of eighteen separate charges of sexual assault. Walter Leacy, aged 45 and residing in Butlerstown, Broadway, was convicted of heinous crimes committed over nearly three decades, involving his two nieces and another young girl.

Judge Alice Doyle presided over the case at Wexford Circuit Criminal Court, where she emphasized the gravity of Leacy’s breaches of trust. She pointed out that the offenses spanned from July 1987 to June 1999 against his first victim, his wife’s niece, and continued with offenses against another niece, Chloe Walsh, in 2002. The most recent abuse involved a third girl, with incidents occurring between November 2008 and July 2011. The judge highlighted that these crimes were committed in a systematic manner, each one a violation of the victims’ innocence and trust.

During the sentencing hearing, the victims chose to waive their right to anonymity, allowing their abuser to be publicly named. The court granted this request for Karen Walsh and Chloe Walsh, and after further consideration, also allowed the third girl’s identity to be revealed, given her age at the time of the offenses.

Prosecutor Sinead Gleeson detailed the disturbing accounts provided by the victims. Karen Walsh recounted that when Leacy visited their home, he would sit with her in the sitting room, often displaying pornography on the television and attempting to teach her how to kiss, ostensibly in preparation for future relationships. She also described how Leacy would touch her breasts and private parts, actions she reported to Gardaí in a statement made on October 17, 2011, when she was approximately eight or nine years old.

Chloe Walsh, who is related to Karen as her sister and also a niece of Leacy’s wife, Monica, provided a harrowing account of her own experiences. After being treated at Temple Street Hospital, Chloe was brought to Leacy’s house, where he would stop his car in a laneway under the pretense of fixing her hips, only to commit further abuse. She also recalled nighttime intrusions into her bedroom, during which Leacy would interfere with her. At the time, she was between seven and eight years old, and she later made a full statement on October 18, 2010.

The youngest victim, who was around seven years old at the time, also disclosed that Leacy would abuse her. She revealed that some of the abuse occurred when she was between eleven and thirteen years old. Garda Robert Aylward, who investigated the case, stated that Leacy was arrested in December 2011 at Wexford Garda Station, where he was interviewed twice but did not admit to the crimes.

All three victims were present in court during the sentencing. In her victim impact statement, the youngest girl expressed her feelings of loss and trauma, stating, “You drained me of my self-esteem and confidence. You terrified me and destroyed my childhood. I hope I never see your face again, Walter Leacy. I’m beginning to enjoy my life now, making every day happy knowing that you will never be back in my life.”

Chloe Walsh also shared her pain, saying, “You made a massive impact on my life and destroyed my childhood. As a teenager, I was terrified and afraid to make friends. I never forgot what you did to me and often cried when alone. I never wanted you, I never wanted you to be my friend, and I never want to see your face again.”

Similarly, Karen Walsh reflected on the lasting effects of Leacy’s actions, stating, “What you did to me as a child impacted my entire life. When I went to school, I was bullied. I hope you understand that what you did was wrong, and you took advantage of me as a child.”

Leacy, a married man with eight children, was described by Garda Aylward as having a difficult incarceration experience, including being held in 23-hour lock-up at Cloverhill Prison due to the nature of his crimes and the reactions of other inmates. His partner, Ellen Turner, who married him after his separation from his wife, confirmed that he had been in prison and that he had no contact with his children during his time behind bars.

Defense representative Rosario Boyle noted that Leacy had been separated from his wife since the offenses and that he had lost his job during the recession, which previously provided for his family. Veronica Leacy, his sister, described their upbringing in a small cottage with 15 children and mentioned that Walter moved to Rosslare after marriage. She also noted that since 2011, he had been living in Blackwater.

Judge Doyle summarized the case, emphasizing the seriousness of the crimes, which spanned nearly thirty years and involved multiple victims. She acknowledged Leacy’s protests of innocence but also recognized the bravery of the victims in coming forward. The judge expressed her concern over the breach of trust and the ongoing trauma inflicted upon the victims.

In her sentencing, Judge Doyle ordered that Leacy serve three consecutive years for each of the three victims, totaling nine years in prison. She rejected the defense’s request to suspend part of the sentence, mandated that Leacy sign the sex offenders register, and participate in a sex offenders treatment program. The sentence was backdated to February 17, the date of his remand, and the court refused his application for leave to appeal.