ROBERT WALLACE ARRESTED IN LURGAN AFTER ESCAPING PROBATION IN NORTHERN IRELAND
| Red Rose Database
Lurgan Sexual Abuser
In August 2006, authorities in Northern Ireland successfully apprehended Robert Wallace, a high-risk sex offender who had gone into hiding after failing to adhere to his probation conditions. Wallace, aged 77, was located and taken into custody in Lurgan, County Armagh, on Wednesday evening, bringing relief to community members and law enforcement agencies alike.
Wallace’s disappearance had caused significant concern among police and the public. The alarm was raised after it was discovered that he had left his approved accommodation in Belfast, where he was supposed to remain under supervision, and had not signed the sex offenders register as required by law. Authorities issued warnings to the public, emphasizing that Wallace was considered a serious threat to vulnerable women and girls, and advised people not to approach him but to contact police if they had any information regarding his whereabouts.
A spokesperson for the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) expressed gratitude for the community’s cooperation, stating that the public’s “great response” to an earlier appeal had been instrumental in locating Wallace. The police had been actively searching for him for some time, given the gravity of his status as a convicted sex offender.
This incident marked the second time within a span of seven months that Wallace had managed to escape custody after his release from prison. His previous release followed a conviction for abusing two young girls, which led to a significant legal response. A Belfast Crown Court judge had revoked his earlier probation, which was initially set for three years, and replaced it with a six-year prison sentence. Additionally, Wallace received a two-month consecutive sentence for breaching the sex offenders register.
As part of his sentencing, the judge also issued a sexual offences prevention order, explicitly prohibiting Wallace from being in the company of children or vulnerable adults without supervision for the rest of his life. This order was intended to prevent any further harm and to protect potential victims.
Wallace’s incarceration has made him the oldest prisoner in Northern Ireland. The pensioner was convicted of indecent assault and gross indecency involving a child. The young girl involved, who was still in primary school at the time she disclosed the abuse to her mother, continues to receive counselling to help her cope with the trauma of the attack.
Authorities remain vigilant, and Wallace’s arrest in Lurgan marks a significant step in ongoing efforts to monitor and manage high-risk offenders within the community.
Wallace’s disappearance had caused significant concern among police and the public. The alarm was raised after it was discovered that he had left his approved accommodation in Belfast, where he was supposed to remain under supervision, and had not signed the sex offenders register as required by law. Authorities issued warnings to the public, emphasizing that Wallace was considered a serious threat to vulnerable women and girls, and advised people not to approach him but to contact police if they had any information regarding his whereabouts.
A spokesperson for the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) expressed gratitude for the community’s cooperation, stating that the public’s “great response” to an earlier appeal had been instrumental in locating Wallace. The police had been actively searching for him for some time, given the gravity of his status as a convicted sex offender.
This incident marked the second time within a span of seven months that Wallace had managed to escape custody after his release from prison. His previous release followed a conviction for abusing two young girls, which led to a significant legal response. A Belfast Crown Court judge had revoked his earlier probation, which was initially set for three years, and replaced it with a six-year prison sentence. Additionally, Wallace received a two-month consecutive sentence for breaching the sex offenders register.
As part of his sentencing, the judge also issued a sexual offences prevention order, explicitly prohibiting Wallace from being in the company of children or vulnerable adults without supervision for the rest of his life. This order was intended to prevent any further harm and to protect potential victims.
Wallace’s incarceration has made him the oldest prisoner in Northern Ireland. The pensioner was convicted of indecent assault and gross indecency involving a child. The young girl involved, who was still in primary school at the time she disclosed the abuse to her mother, continues to receive counselling to help her cope with the trauma of the attack.
Authorities remain vigilant, and Wallace’s arrest in Lurgan marks a significant step in ongoing efforts to monitor and manage high-risk offenders within the community.