PAUL BUCKLEY FROM CORK AND DUBLIN IMITATES GARDÁ AND THREATENS TEENAGE GIRL IN DUBLIN

In January 2018, a disturbing incident unfolded in Dublin involving Paul Buckley, a 45-year-old man with ties to both Cork and Dublin. Buckley, who resides on Nelson Street in Dublin’s north inner city, was convicted of a serious offense after he impersonated a Garda and used threats to intimidate a teenage schoolgirl.

Previously, Buckley had served a four-year prison sentence for the brutal rape of a woman in Cork city. His criminal history is marked by violent and predatory behavior, with the 2005 trial at the Central Criminal Court revealing that he had viciously assaulted a woman as she was returning home after a night out in Gurranabraher.

On November 11, 2017, Buckley appeared before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to admit to a separate offense involving impersonation. The court heard that he was drinking in the city center during the daytime when he encountered a teenage girl dressed in her school uniform, accompanied by a friend. Buckley challenged the girl about her absence from school, which she explained was due to her not wanting to take a PE test that day.

In an attempt to intimidate her further, Buckley produced a business card bearing a Garda logo and falsely claimed to be a member of the police force. He told her that he was a Garda and proceeded to make inappropriate comments, including calling her a “gorgeous girl.” Despite her clear discomfort, Buckley asked her to go for a coffee, but when she refused, he refused to let her leave. He threatened to arrest her for not being at school and claimed he could take her to the police station.

According to court reports, Buckley began to touch her hand inappropriately and made lewd remarks, telling her she was “sexy,” as detailed by Detective Garda Byrne. The girl, feeling threatened, stated she needed to call her mother before attempting to walk away. This time, Buckley did not physically prevent her from leaving.

Prosecutor Lorcan Staines informed the court that Buckley had admitted to the Probation Service that his actions were sexually motivated. The court was told that this incident caused significant distress to the young girl, and Buckley's behavior was deemed a serious breach of public trust and safety. His prior criminal record, including the rape conviction, underscored the severity of his misconduct in this case.