EDWIN CURRY'S HORRIFIC CRIMES IN KILKENNY: 21 YEARS OF ABUSE LEADS TO DOUBLED SENTENCE

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Kilkenny, Edwin Curry, a man aged 64, has been subjected to a significant increase in his prison sentence following an appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Originally sentenced to four years in prison, Curry's punishment was deemed insufficient by the Court of Criminal Appeal, which yesterday imposed a new sentence of ten years. The court found that the initial sentence was 'unduly lenient' and represented a 'substantial departure' from what is typically expected in cases of this gravity.

The case against Curry involves a heinous pattern of sexual abuse spanning over two decades, during which he assaulted nine young girls. The abuse reportedly took place between 1964 and 1985, with Curry luring his victims into a shed behind his parents' house using sweets, kittens, and money as bait. The victims, many of whom were children at the time, endured repeated assaults in the shed and within his family home.

Details of the abuse emerged during a court hearing in January 2010, where victims expressed their outrage and distress over the leniency of the initial sentence. Several women, who were assaulted as children, described how their childhoods were stolen and how the trauma has affected their adult lives. They recounted feelings of being like child prostitutes, a consequence of Curry’s manipulative and predatory behavior.

One victim recounted a particularly chilling incident where Curry threatened to bring her younger sister into the shed if she refused to go with him. Addressing Curry directly, she stated, 'You are a cold, calculating and evil person who stole my childhood.'

Two of the victims shared that they spent years feeling like child prostitutes because of Curry’s actions, and they revealed ongoing difficulties in their adult sexual relationships. One woman described her experience as a 'very beautiful, happy, bubbly girl' before the abuse, but since then, she has suffered from low self-esteem and depression, feeling as if she has been given a 'life sentence' because she never had the chance to become who she might have been.

During the sentencing, a statement on Curry’s behalf requested that he be given a suspended sentence, claiming he would say Masses for those he harmed. However, the court was not persuaded by this plea. The judge, Olive Buttimer, emphasized that Curry’s apology, which he offered in a statement, was 'somewhat late in the day.' She highlighted that sexual abuse of children constitutes 'a disastrous breach of trust' and underscored the court’s duty to protect vulnerable children from such predators.

It was also revealed that Curry had previously been questioned by Gardaí in 2005 after complaints were made against him. During that time, he was found to have taken pornographic photographs of two of his young victims while they were naked, and he had touched their genitals and digitally penetrated them. Despite these serious allegations, Curry denied the charges, claiming that the victims were 'conspiring' against him.

In his defense, Curry expressed his 'deepest and sincerest apology' to the victims and claimed that he had even offered to donate one of his kidneys to a hospital while in custody, in an attempt to give back to society. Nonetheless, the judge dismissed his remorse as 'somewhat late' and reiterated that the sexual abuse of children is a grave breach of trust that must be met with appropriate punishment.

The court calculated the new sentence based on the law and penalties for indecent assault, which changed after 1981. For offenses committed after this date, the sentence was set at four years per count, while for those before, it was two years per count. All sentences are to run concurrently.

Following the hearing, one of the victims expressed her outrage, stating, 'I’m appalled that 189 counts of abuse over a 20-year period can warrant just four years.' The community and victims alike are left to grapple with the severity of the crimes committed by Edwin Curry in Kilkenny, and the justice served in this case reflects the gravity of his actions.