LARRY CONNORS SHOCKS CO CLARE WITH BRUTAL BABY ABUSE IN ENNIS
| Red Rose Database
Co Clare Sexual Abuser
In February 2014, the sentencing of Larry Connors was initially set at three years; however, following an appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions, his sentence was subsequently increased to the maximum of seven years. This case, which has garnered significant attention, stems from a horrifying incident involving the abuse of a 10-month-old baby in Co Clare.
Back in February 2012, a distressing report emerged detailing the severe injuries inflicted upon the infant by Connors, who was at the time involved with the child's mother. The young child was subjected to a brutal assault that included being slapped, kicked, punched, and violently thrown around an apartment, actions that left the child with life-altering injuries. The extent of the child's injuries was shocking: two broken forearms, a dislocated right elbow, a significant brain bleed, a bite mark on the right cheek, a burn mark from an iron on the calf, and numerous bruises covering various parts of the body.
During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Larry Connors, aged 20 and residing at Cronan Lawn, Shannon, Co Clare, was responsible for these injuries. Although the mother and child could not be publicly identified due to legal restrictions, the court was informed that Connors was not the child's biological father. The mother described the ongoing trauma, stating, “My child wakes up in the middle of the night screaming and shouting. I believe that this is the result of flashbacks of the abuse that he suffered at the hands of Larry Connors.”
At Ennis Circuit Court, Judge Carroll Moran sentenced Connors to three years in prison after he pleaded guilty to charges of cruelty committed between December 15, 2010, and January 3, 2011. The mother, aged 19 at the time, recounted the terrifying period of abuse, explaining that her then-partner “became psychotic and he would lock himself into the room with the child and he would start to scream and roar at the child.” She expressed her helplessness, saying, “It was the most incredible difficult thing to go through as I knew that Larry was hurting the child and I couldn’t do anything about it. Larry Connors abused my child for a three-week period and there was nothing I could do about it.”
Detective Garda David Laing provided further details, recounting that the baby was brought to the Emergency Department at the Midwest Regional Hospital in Limerick on January 3, 2011, with multiple injuries. The mother had earlier heard her child crying from the next room and, upon investigation, saw Connors holding the baby and wiping blood from his mouth. She reported that the child appeared to be slipping in and out of consciousness. Connors claimed that he thought the baby had fallen, but a report from consultant paediatrician Siobhan Gallagher contradicted this, stating that the injuries were inconsistent with a fall.
The child was placed in foster care for six months starting in January 2011 and was returned to his mother in July of that year. The family has since relocated to the United Kingdom. The mother expressed hope that her child is now doing well, stating, “My baby is doing fine now,” but also highlighted ongoing medical needs. The child requires speech therapy due to a tear injury in his mouth and will need to undergo a procedure later this year to reset his dislocated elbow.
The mother voiced her desire for justice, saying, “I want justice for my child so that I can move on with my life.” Defense lawyer Brian McInerney acknowledged Connors’ difficult background, noting, “Connors has a very poor level of education. He comes from a very dysfunctional family background… It is not an excuse for this kind of conduct.” He added that Connors recognizes the possibility of imprisonment and hopes that this sentence will mark the beginning of his path to recovery.
Judge Moran described the case as “fairly shocking,” emphasizing that the injuries were inflicted upon a “defenceless baby.” He also noted that if Connors had not pleaded guilty, he would have faced a sentence close to the maximum of seven years for the offence, underscoring the severity of the crime committed in Co Clare.
Back in February 2012, a distressing report emerged detailing the severe injuries inflicted upon the infant by Connors, who was at the time involved with the child's mother. The young child was subjected to a brutal assault that included being slapped, kicked, punched, and violently thrown around an apartment, actions that left the child with life-altering injuries. The extent of the child's injuries was shocking: two broken forearms, a dislocated right elbow, a significant brain bleed, a bite mark on the right cheek, a burn mark from an iron on the calf, and numerous bruises covering various parts of the body.
During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Larry Connors, aged 20 and residing at Cronan Lawn, Shannon, Co Clare, was responsible for these injuries. Although the mother and child could not be publicly identified due to legal restrictions, the court was informed that Connors was not the child's biological father. The mother described the ongoing trauma, stating, “My child wakes up in the middle of the night screaming and shouting. I believe that this is the result of flashbacks of the abuse that he suffered at the hands of Larry Connors.”
At Ennis Circuit Court, Judge Carroll Moran sentenced Connors to three years in prison after he pleaded guilty to charges of cruelty committed between December 15, 2010, and January 3, 2011. The mother, aged 19 at the time, recounted the terrifying period of abuse, explaining that her then-partner “became psychotic and he would lock himself into the room with the child and he would start to scream and roar at the child.” She expressed her helplessness, saying, “It was the most incredible difficult thing to go through as I knew that Larry was hurting the child and I couldn’t do anything about it. Larry Connors abused my child for a three-week period and there was nothing I could do about it.”
Detective Garda David Laing provided further details, recounting that the baby was brought to the Emergency Department at the Midwest Regional Hospital in Limerick on January 3, 2011, with multiple injuries. The mother had earlier heard her child crying from the next room and, upon investigation, saw Connors holding the baby and wiping blood from his mouth. She reported that the child appeared to be slipping in and out of consciousness. Connors claimed that he thought the baby had fallen, but a report from consultant paediatrician Siobhan Gallagher contradicted this, stating that the injuries were inconsistent with a fall.
The child was placed in foster care for six months starting in January 2011 and was returned to his mother in July of that year. The family has since relocated to the United Kingdom. The mother expressed hope that her child is now doing well, stating, “My baby is doing fine now,” but also highlighted ongoing medical needs. The child requires speech therapy due to a tear injury in his mouth and will need to undergo a procedure later this year to reset his dislocated elbow.
The mother voiced her desire for justice, saying, “I want justice for my child so that I can move on with my life.” Defense lawyer Brian McInerney acknowledged Connors’ difficult background, noting, “Connors has a very poor level of education. He comes from a very dysfunctional family background… It is not an excuse for this kind of conduct.” He added that Connors recognizes the possibility of imprisonment and hopes that this sentence will mark the beginning of his path to recovery.
Judge Moran described the case as “fairly shocking,” emphasizing that the injuries were inflicted upon a “defenceless baby.” He also noted that if Connors had not pleaded guilty, he would have faced a sentence close to the maximum of seven years for the offence, underscoring the severity of the crime committed in Co Clare.