Search for convicted rapist after he fails to show in court

Edward Connors failed to turn up at a court in Belfast in July and was later arrested in Dublin. On Wednesday he failed to show up at a court in Dublin.

01/09/12 11,428 Views 43 Comments

Edward Connors

A CONVICTED RAPIST who breached the terms of his probation and fled Northern Ireland before being arrested by Gardaí in July has failed to show in court this week.

Edward Connors, 19, had failed to show up at a court in Northern Ireland on 16 July and a subsequent search led to his arrest nine days later in Dublin.

After appearing in court in Dublin he was charged with failing to notify authorities of his name, address and date of birth, according to BBC News, and was bailed to appear again before the court last Wednesday but he failed to show.

A bench warrant was issued and it is believed that Gardaí are now searching for the man.

Connors was convicted and imprisoned twice for raping an American tourist in a forest in west Belfast in 2008 when he was 15.

He was sentenced to eight years in jail before being released in March of this year having served four years.

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Hugh O'Connell

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Vinny Healy 01/09/12 #

7 837

Failed to appear and given Bail again? typical of our pathetic justice system. Joke

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- Zack O'Brien 01/09/12 #
  
  7 267
  
  Your dead right Vinnie!
  
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- Creamy Hamstrings 01/09/12 #
  
  5 124
  
  Spot on! Comment of the decade!
  
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- Kevin 01/09/12 #
  
  1 125
  
  Exactly. How does a judge – who is obviously an extremely well educated person – get to become so incompetent!? It just beggars belief.
  
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- Eddie Munster 02/09/12 #
  
  8 4
  
  In my opinion the church are hiding him
  
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Sarah Cullington 01/09/12 #

5 490

So he fled once, was caught, given bail and fled again?? Why was he given bail? Am I missing something?

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- rodrigo detriano 01/09/12 #
  
  10 305
  
  Don’t all Irish judges go easy on sex offenders then? I mean a judge suspended 5 1/2 years of a 6 year sentence given to a wealthy individual for sexually attacking a young girl! You would assume all judges apply the law equally! Or maybe this convicted rapist is off wealthy stock too?
  
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- toorkeel 01/09/12 #
  
  24 208
  
  Nothing to with wealth Rodrigo. Why is it everything resorts back to the wealth or left/right divide? The justice system is a farce, simple. Gardai are busting their arses getting criminals before the courts and these animals get bail on some sob story….don’t pay a parking fine and off to Mountjoy with you….I worry for my kids in this sh*thole…
  
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felix knox 01/09/12 #

8 448

Good ‘ol Ireland, let the rapists roam free.

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- Padraic Quinn 01/09/12 #
  
  9 16
  
  Where’s my comment?I am not trolling , I mean what I say
  
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Daisy Chainsaw 01/09/12 #

6 209

What logic was Judge Lindsay using when he gave a convicted rapist who had already fled one juristiction bail? If he’d listened to the arresting garda… or even used common bloody sense, we wouldn’t have Connors at large.

Utter stupidity on behalf of Lindsay.

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- JJ Rossi 02/09/12 #
  
  1 3
  
  He wasn’t on bail, he was on probation.
  
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Sean Palmer 01/09/12 #

6 192

That’s outrageous how the judge let him out on bail a 2nd time is a scandal

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- Vinny Healy 01/09/12 #
  
  6 184
  
  It’s happening every day of the week and all paid for through free legal aid
  
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- JJ Rossi 02/09/12 #
  
  6 5
  
  Not technically correct Sean. He was due to attend a court date in the north for not conforming to one of his probation conditions. The only reason he was arrested in the south was because he hadn’t notified the Garda because (sex offender notification). Presumably the judge can only take into consideration the case before him and grant / deny bail on those facts. He was given very strict bail terms by the court. The courts can’t lock up everyone, there isn’t room.
  
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Ciaran Morgan 01/09/12 #

13 286

bailed and vanished? the judges in this country should be horsewhipped.

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- michael monaghan 01/09/12 #
  
  10 133
  
  And even that would be too soft for them.They are pussycats.
  
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Kevin O'Sullivan 01/09/12 #

5 88

Very embarrassing for the Irish courts!

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- John Scott 01/09/12 #
  
  6 17
  
  NOT A BIT
  
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- Eddie Munster 02/09/12 #
  
  1 0
  
  @ jj Rossi this is a common law state and you can’t get remand for not giving the cops your name and d.o.b it OUR first right
  
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rhonda o shea 01/09/12 #

2 52

I cannot comprehend why on earth he got bailed ?????? the country is,gone mad …..

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John Aldridge 01/09/12 #

3 50

Surely no other civilised country would have a judiciary like this? Far too many criminals are bailed anyway – but with his history?!

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- Vinny Healy 01/09/12 #
  
  1 31
  
  It seems to be only “civilised” countries who allow this to happen. We’re not happy when it happens here but we’re not happy when they are dealt with more robustly in other “uncivilised” countries
  
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Denise Friary 01/09/12 #

8 73

Lets not panic, I bet all the ports and hotels are on the watch for him. The Garda will catch him, also well done to the Journal for showing his photo.

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Rommel Burke 01/09/12 #

19 129

And yet Shatter is allowed go on FGTV aka rte unchallenged, and give his opinion that he is on top of his brief.

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- Kevin O'Sullivan 01/09/12 #
  
  43 85
  
  Well, this isn’t the Ministers problem. He just sets the laws. Its up to the judges to enforce them.
  
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- Rommel Burke 01/09/12 #
  
  7 53
  
  I was thinking more of the Garda resources needed to find this guy. He could stay undetected for a long time especially in rural Ireland.
  
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Jordan Salanger 02/09/12 #

2 24

Why do the people of Ireland allow judges do what they do? They’re supposed to be representing the citizens of the country and protecting us from thugs, bowsies etc. TIME WE LET THE JUDICIARY KNOW WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO THEIR ACTIONS!! They should have to be elected to their positions directly by the people in their judicial area

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Alan Murphy 01/09/12 #

5 34

He needs both his bollixes cut off

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pip white 02/09/12 #

2 20

ok to get bail once and he jumps it is bad. to get bail a second time and he disappears is a total f**k up. like seriously what the he’ll are the courts up to. if they let the poor feckers out of the prisons who are there for non payment of fines or non payment of credit cards and tv licences. then he could have been remanded.

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- bob 02/09/12 #
  
  3 10
  
  he has no money,so jailing him would cost alot.soooooo if he offends again we can jail him by our law! ( I’m thinking like a judge,(have you paid your tv liacence).we then have cause to process him and send him back up north after a hearing that he might show up at.Thats if the witness wants to press charges! Nice big army barracks in mullingar is empthy at mo.Take out low offenders and house them with structured life skills and keep the cells for high risk offenders like this!
  
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Hannah Tooher 02/09/12 #

3 14

Seriously? Why in gods name was he not remanded in custody? What flipping judge allowed that!?

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Mick Collins 02/09/12 #

5 18

A new Bail scheme should be introduced. If the State opposes bail and the Court grants it then the judge should be fined if the defendant doesn’t turn up in court.

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rodrigo detriano 01/09/12 #

20 36

A bit below the old cassock there Eddie! lol

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Vinny Healy 01/09/12 #

13 9

Any reason my reply to Sarah was removed Hugh?

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- Vinny Healy 01/09/12 #
  
  13 15
  
  And why you’d remove the comment about The George and not the Church?
  
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Joanna Lynch 02/09/12 #

11 6

Here’s a coincidence, how many American tourists are in Dublin at the moment ? ?

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Eddie Munster 01/09/12 #

110 18

Irish courts hands are tied it happened north Ireland that’s England he done his time for it..gardai can’t remand a man for not giving them his name can’t be blaming the judge or cops

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- Barry McSweeney 01/09/12 #
  
  12 55
  
  What are you trying to say? Please write coherently.
  
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- M Bowe 01/09/12 #
  
  12 54
  
  Northern Ireland that’s England ???? Explain please
  
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- JJ Rossi 02/09/12 #
  
  1 5
  
  I think I understand the points of your badly written message. Yes they can remand him if they choose to, he could get several years for failing to notify as a registered sex offender.
  
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JJ Rossi 02/09/12 #

5 1

A lot of in accuracy in replies to this story. He wasn’t given bail TWICE, he was on probation after serving 4 years of his sentence, didn’t comply with part of his probation conditions and was sent to court for that, which he didn’t turn up in court for. Was arrested by Garda for failing to notify them that he was in the country (sex offender notification), and given bail, with strict conditions. The courts can’t lock up everyone, not enough room, not enough money. It’s only a matter of time before he turns up, it’s THEN, if given bail you should all be crying foul.

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- Sinead Kiely 02/09/12 #
  
  2 8
  
  Or maybe when he rapes someone in the meantime JJ. He has just showed non compliance twice! What is outrageous is not only did the judge grant him bail after not showing up to register … and being stupid enough to think he would comply with ‘strict bail conditions’ but this guy only served 4 years of an 8 year sentence. Why didn’t he serve the 8 years as was thought appropriate at the time. Confidence and respect for our judicial system and our country is dwindling. How sad
  
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