February 2015 Who allowed paedophile brothers to live beside a school? Justice minister David Ford is facing a Stormont grilling over the decision to allow the paedophile McDermott brothers to live next to a school. Last week it was revealed that James and Owen Roe McDermott – who a judge said inflicted a “tidal wave of abuse” on kids – were shacked up in a house next to Oakgrove Integrated College in Derry city. To the horror of parents, this newspaper snapped the predatory pair as they took an afternoon walk near the school. Shocked by our revelations, DUP MLA Maurice Morrow is demanding answers from Justice Minister David Ford as to who made the decision to house the McDermotts next to Oakgrove. Predatory paedophile Owen Roe McDermott In a written question to the Assembly he has asked: – What agencies are involved in the management of the McDermotts? – Who risk assessed their new residence and classed it as suitable? – Is it normal practice for serial paedophiles to be housed close to a school? – Will Mr Ford order a review into the management and structures of decision making in the case? Predatory paedophile James McDermott walking near the school Lord Morrow last night vowed to take the McDermott case to the floor of the Assembly, describing it as an “appalling error of judgement” which he challenged the Justice Minister to explain The DUP peer said: “This is a deplorable and totally unacceptable situation. Placing convicted sex offenders close to a school is most definitely in breach of human rights and the rights of the child “The agencies in charge of this matter have many questions to answer, and responsibility lies entirely with them. “Children and young people are vulnerable due to their age, and the risks of placing predatory sex offenders in the vicinity of their school is outrageous.” James, 63, and 55-year-old Owen Roe McDermott walked free from court in 2010 after they were deem- ed mentally unfit to stand trial on 19 counts of sex abuse on children in the Fermanagh village of Donagh.However, the wicked pair were found guilty by a jury in their absence. Their oldest brother Peter Paul McDermott, 62, hanged himself the day after he appeared in the dock on multiple paedophile charges. A fourth brother John McDermott, 65, was caged for 10 years for abusing nine children – Click this for full profile on John The McDermotts are estimated to have sexually assaulted as many as 50 children in Donagh in attacks that spanned five decades from 1969 until 2002. After their court case ended, James and Owen Roe McDermott were moved to Lakeview Hospital in Derry as voluntary patients. They were then transferred to their current home in the city, which was specially adapted for them by the Western Trust. A Trust spokeswoman said it could not comment on individual cases. Oakgrove Integrated College principal Jill Markham insisted the safety of pupils was her top priority. She explained: “I have liaised closely with the PSNI and Western Trust on this matter and have done everything in my power to ensure that others prioritise student safety.” But Michael Connolly, a survivor of abuse by the McDermott brothers, expressed outrage that the two perverts had been housed so close to a school. Last week he told Sunday Life: “Believe me, if they get a chance to get their hands on any child who strays into their path, they’ll take it.” June 2012 Donagh abuse brothers unlikely to ever return to home Two brothers at the centre of a sex abuse scandal in County Fermanagh are unlikely to ever be allowed to return to their family home after the Chief Constable was given the power to decide where they will live. James and Owen Roe McDermott were found to have carried out decades of sexual abuse on young children in the village of Donagh, but were deemed mentally unfit to stand trial. In 2010 they were allowed to return to their home in the village under a two year Supervision and Treatment Order. The case sparked a public outcry and the two brothers admitted themselves voluntarily to hospital in Londonderry where it is understood they remain. There have been fears in the local community in recent weeks that the McDermott brothers were going to leave hospital and return to the family home close to the village playground and playschool. The BBC has been told that relatives of the brothers living in the village have received death threats. At Dungannon Crown Court the Chief Constable Matt Baggott applied to have the terms of the lifetime Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) varied. The Judge David McFarland granted an additional order that prohibits 63 year old James and 55 year old Owen Roe McDermott from living at an address other than that designated by their risk manager. This does not specifically ban the brothers from living in Donagh but gives the police the power to decide where the two brothers can live. It is understood that the family home is not deemed suitable. Under the original terms of the SOPO the brothers are prohibited from working with children, entering designated areas of Donagh including the playground and primary school, and only allowing access to St Patrick’s GAA Club in the constant presence of an approved adult. Two inquiries were set up by the Department of Justice and Department of Health to examine how the courts and social services handled the original McDermott case which resulted in a series of recommendations. A third brother John McDermott remains in prison after his nine year sentence for 35 charges of abuse was extended by six months last year when he was convicted of sexually abusing a seventh youngster from the village. A fourth brother, Peter Paul McDermott, hanged himself after the start of his trial in 2010. In his judgement in 2010 Judge David McFarland said Donagh was a village with an appalling secret where the children bore the brunt of the tidal wave of abuse. The abuse was frequent, regular and presistent and lasted more than 30 years.