GARRY CREEVEY SEX OFFENDER FROM CO CARLOW AND CORK ESCAPES JAIL AFTER VICTIM'S PLEA

In a case that has drawn significant attention at Cork District Court, Garry Creevey, a 57-year-old former Christian Brother from The Bungalow, Kilquiggan, Tullow, Co Carlow, was spared immediate imprisonment after the victim of his past sexual assault publicly expressed his desire for Creevey not to be jailed.

Initially, Creevey faced the prospect of a six-month jail sentence for his admitted sexual misconduct. However, the victim’s plea for leniency played a pivotal role in the court’s decision. Judge Con O’Leary stated that Creevey could be grateful to the victim, as the court ultimately imposed a suspended sentence of six months. The judge had previously indicated that a four-month prison term would have been appropriate for the violation of the victim’s personal integrity.

During the proceedings, the injured party emphasized that his complaint was validated by Creevey’s guilty plea. He expressed a sense of relief that Creevey had been given the opportunity to speak and acknowledged the defendant’s remorse. The victim remarked, “He allowed me the chance to speak here today. I can’t direct you (the judge), but there are other individuals (sexual offenders) who are not contrite. I would just like to say he has given me my day in court.”

Defense solicitor Frank Buttimer presented a lengthy mitigation argument, highlighting Creevey’s efforts to address his sexual and psychiatric issues through the Grenada Institute for child sex offenders and victims. He pointed out that Creevey had been a victim of similar abuse earlier in life and was only 22 or 23 when he committed the offense against the current victim.

A clinical psychiatrist from the Grenada Institute, Patrick Randall, testified that Creevey posed a low risk of reoffending. He noted that Creevey had participated actively in 86 psychotherapy sessions and was committed to his recovery. Dr. Randall explained that Creevey’s offending behavior was likely influenced by emotional deprivation, sexual isolation, and lack of contact with peers during his treatment.

Meanwhile, Detective Inspector John Quilter provided details of the original incident, which occurred in 1972 at an unspecified date. Creevey, then a teacher at the school, indecently assaulted the young boy in the school gym, where he pulled down the boy’s pants and underpants and rubbed his penis.

The victim, who spoke in court in September, shared the lasting impact of the abuse. He revealed that he experiences recurring dreams about the incident and has been receiving counseling for years. He described the assault as a crime that inflicted terror on a young child, leaving him with deep emotional scars.

“I didn’t know what I had done to deserve this,” he said. “I felt an immense sense of terror at having to go to this class (when he was in fourth or fifth grade, and Creevey was his teacher for the entire year). I have not been able to live a normal life. I have had difficulties with authority figures, struggled with alcohol, and found it hard to maintain employment. I also feel a sense of underachievement. Growing up, I had problems with sexual identity and propensity, feeling that real men don’t get abused.”