Victim of Paul Dunleavy Expresses ‘Great Comfort’ Over Abuser’s Impending Death in Prison

Brian Ellison, a victim of Paul Dunleavy, has expressed that he finds “great comfort” in the knowledge that the former school principal and Christian Brother will pass away while incarcerated. Mr. Ellison stated that Dunleavy abused him for a duration of six to eight weeks during his time in primary school. At that time, he was 10 years old. Dunleavy, whose address is on Glen Road in Belfast, received an additional 10-year prison sentence on Thursday for historical child sex abuse. In September, he had been found guilty of 36 charges involving former pupils. The 89-year-old committed these offenses between 1964 and 1991, during which time he was employed at four schools located in Belfast, Newry, and Armagh. He is currently serving a prison sentence, having previously been convicted twice for sexual offenses against children under his care. His most recent sentence will commence in May 2026, following the completion of his present term. Across three trials, he has accumulated convictions for a total of 72 counts, involving 18 victims. Despite his convictions, Dunleavy retains his status as a Christian Brother. Mr. Ellison informed BBC News NI that the abuse he experienced occurred in various areas within the primary school premises. He recounted that Dunleavy “tricked” his mother, leading her to allow him to remain at school for additional tuition. Mr. Ellison participated in the initial trial against Dunleavy. He is publicly disclosing his identity only this week. The experience of the trial had a “massive” impact on him. He stated, “I went into my shell I broke down, I literally broke down.” Reflecting on the consequences of the abuse, Mr. Ellison commented, “I spiralled downhill from looking forward to a good career, family, everything else. “It cost me marriage.” Mr. Ellison asserts that the “full scale” of Dunleavy’s criminal activity “has not been brought to light.” He added, “A small scale of his offending has actually been brought to light.” Mr. Ellison expressed his belief, stating, “I believe there are numerous victims out there.” He has urged these victims to step forward. Furthermore, Mr. Ellison advocates for an investigation into the abuse. In response to a question regarding whether Thursday’s sentencing provided a sense of closure, Mr. Ellison replied: “It has given us a degree of satisfaction that a judge actually stood up to him and actually did not give him leniency because he got remission on each of his other trials because of his age. “This time around, he got nothing.To know he will die in prison is a great comfort.”