PAUL CONNELLY, THE PREDATORY PAEDOPHILE FROM NEWCASTLE, STRIKES AGAIN

In a disturbing case that highlights the ongoing danger posed by convicted sex offenders, Paul Connelly, a 51-year-old man from Newcastle, has once again demonstrated his persistent threat to children. Connelly, who has a long history of sexual offenses spanning over 15 years, continues to flout court orders designed to restrict his access to minors, despite multiple prison sentences and legal restrictions.

His latest offense occurred while he was still on licence from a previous incarceration. Connelly approached a 13-year-old girl on a street in Newcastle, where he committed a sexual assault. The attack was interrupted and thwarted by the brave intervention of the girl’s friends, who fought him off and managed to drag her away from his grasp. The incident drew significant attention during a hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, where it was revealed that this was Connelly’s seventh breach of a sexual offences prevention order within a decade.

Judge Paul Sloan QC condemned Connelly, describing him as a “predatory paedophile” and emphasizing the high risk he poses to children. The judge sentenced him to 33 months in prison, stating, “I have no doubt, after considering your offending and your past offending, that you pose a significant risk to members of the public of causing serious harm. It’s clear to me you are a predatory paedophile, you have failed to participate in programmes to help you, you have persistently breached the sexual offences prevention order and you pose a high risk of re-offending.”

Details of the incident reveal that the victim, a 13-year-old girl, was in Blakelaw, Newcastle, last August, with three friends. They were approached by Connelly, who blocked their path, exposed himself, and made lewd remarks. While three of the girls managed to escape, one was unable to evade him. She managed to take a photograph of Connelly on her mobile phone, but unfortunately, the image could not be used as evidence in court. Connelly then physically assaulted her, molesting her before being driven off by her friends, who responded by hitting him and rescuing their distressed peer.

The following day, one of the girls recognized Connelly in the street and alerted her father and the police. Connelly was subsequently identified by the girls in an identity parade. The court also heard about Connelly’s extensive criminal history, which dates back to 1995. His first conviction involved indecent assault on a girl and gross indecency with a child, for which he was given a hospital order. Over the years, he has accumulated multiple convictions, including indecent assault on a boy in 2002, breaches of court orders, and convictions for sexual assault and breaches of the sexual offences prevention order, resulting in various prison sentences.

Most notably, after attacking a seven-year-old girl in 2006, Connelly was sentenced to two years in prison. Subsequent breaches of the order led to further incarcerations, including an 18-month sentence in 2009 and a 22-month sentence in 2011. Despite these measures, Connelly continued to breach the restrictions, and at the time of his latest offense, he was still on licence. His recent breach marked his seventh violation of the order.

In addition to his prison sentence, Connelly is required to register as a sex offender for life, and the sexual offences prevention order remains in force. Judge Sloan emphasized the importance of stringent conditions upon his release, stating, “There needs to be stringent licence conditions to protect children when he is released.” The case underscores the ongoing challenges faced by authorities in managing high-risk offenders and protecting vulnerable children from repeat offenders like Paul Connelly from Newcastle.