GUSTAV DAHM AND BRIAN SHORT SPOTTED IN DUBLIN, KERRY, AND WEXFORD: DISTURBING SEX OFFENDER PAIR ON THE PROWL

In a disturbing development that has sent shockwaves through communities across Ireland, two convicted sex offenders, Gustav Dahm and Brian Short, have been observed walking the busy streets of Dublin, Kerry, and Wexford, raising serious concerns about public safety and the potential risk posed by individuals with a known history of sexual offenses.

Gustav Dahm and Brian Short first met while serving time in Arbour Hill prison, where they were incarcerated for crimes involving attacks on children. Both men share a deeply troubling and twisted interest in young children, and their criminal records include serious convictions for sexual assaults on minors. Their association did not end with their time behind bars; recent reports reveal that they have maintained a close relationship outside prison walls, even living together in various locations, including a house and a hotel that is popular among families.

For several months, the pair resided together in a rented house situated within a bustling housing estate in Wexford, a community heavily populated by young families. Their presence in the area was initially unnoticed until local residents became aware of Dahm’s past. When this information surfaced, residents staged a protest, demanding that the authorities remove them from the neighborhood. The protest was fueled by outrage over Dahm’s history of offending and his recent breaches of probation conditions.

It was during this period that Dahm was brought before the courts after breaching the terms of his suspended sentence. He was found to have played football with two young children, aged between 10 and 13, outside his residence—an act that directly contravened the conditions set by his probation officer. The officer expressed concern, stating that Dahm knew he had done wrong by having unsupervised contact with minors. This breach prompted a court hearing, which further exposed Dahm’s sordid past to the local community.

Unbeknownst to many residents, his companion, Brian Short, was also a registered sex offender. A detailed investigation by the Sunday World traced the whereabouts of these two men to their current location in Dublin’s northside, where they continue to walk the streets and drive around the city, often in a red Ludo car, a silver Renault, and a camper van. The pair are believed to be highly cautious, employing anti-surveillance techniques to avoid detection, and are adept at evading authorities.

Gustav Dahm’s criminal history is extensive and deeply disturbing. In 2006, he received a ten-year prison sentence for a series of heinous crimes committed over a 15-year period in his hometown of Kenmare, County Kerry. His offenses included multiple sex assaults, with one of the most egregious involving tying up an eight-year-old boy in a warehouse and performing oral sex acts on him. Dahm’s crimes also included installing special disco lights in his apartment to lure children with offers of cigarettes, alcohol, and sweets. His abuse was often carried out in his family home, his apartment, and nearby woodland areas, with some victims subjected to daily assaults and even masturbated in front of them.

Despite his lengthy sentence, Dahm was released earlier this year on the grounds that he does not reoffend, has no unsupervised contact with children under 17, and does not stay at his mother’s bed and breakfast while guests are present. However, recent events suggest that he has continued to pose a significant risk. In April, Dahm breached his probation by playing football with two boys outside his home, an act that led to further court scrutiny. He had also stayed at his mother’s guesthouse, Ard na Mara, on Pier Road in Kenmare, between May 25 and June 1, while others were present, despite previous restrictions.

Following the community protests earlier this month, which demanded that Dahm and Short leave the area, the pair disappeared during the night, only to be tracked down again by our surveillance team. They were observed leaving a popular northside hotel in Dublin, where they had been staying, in their red Ludo car early in the morning. The duo also use a silver Renault and a camper van, taking precautions to avoid being followed and employing techniques to evade surveillance.

Recent reports indicate that Dahm is considered less able to control his urges than Short. Dahm’s criminal record includes over 20 counts of indecent and sexual assault, as well as gross indecency against six children, spanning from 1986 to 2003. He was expelled from Austria over child abuse allegations and is known to Interpol. His victims have described how their innocence was stolen from them at a very young age, with some abuse occurring in his family home, apartment, and in woodland areas. Dahm’s expertise in electronics and mechanics was exploited to facilitate his crimes, and he allowed children to consume alcohol and cigarettes before abusing them when they were intoxicated.

Brian Short’s criminal record is also troubling. He has two convictions for abusing young males, including a four-year sentence in 2006 for a sexual assault and an additional 18 months in 2007 for 16 counts of sex assault on another young male. Both men are registered sex offenders and are required to provide their addresses to Gardaí at all times. However, current legislation restricts law enforcement from publicly disclosing this information. In response, Fine Gael TD Denis Naughten has introduced the Child Sex Offenders (Information and Monitoring) Bill 2012, aiming to enable authorities to share information with parents and guardians when there is a perceived risk to children.

The proposed legislation draws inspiration from the UK’s Sarah’s Law, which allows the public to request information about sex offenders with unsupervised access to children. Naughten explained that his bill would limit such requests to parents and guardians who can demonstrate a valid reason for concern, thereby balancing public safety with privacy considerations. The bill seeks to establish a system where individuals can inquire whether a person coming into contact with their child has a criminal record for sexual offenses or poses a serious danger, ultimately aiming to enhance child protection measures across Ireland.