A sexual offender who "hid in plain sight" has been given a five-year sentence for a series of sex offences against children.
Patrick Lavery, 40, of Ballynamoney Road in Lurgan, Co Armagh began offending when he was a young teenager.
Over the course of a decade to 2009 he abused six victims, all children, some as young as six years of age.
He was finally caught in 2024 when one of his victims went to police.
At his sentencing today, Judge Donna McColgan said she had read the victim impact statements closely and that the offending had had a "significant impact" on the young victims.
She said some of what she'd read had been "poignant and moving".
The court heard that Lavery continued to deny his offending and protest his innocence.
Judge McColgan said the aggravating factors were the number of victims, their ages, the fact that the offending had continued for a decade and its impact.
She sentenced Patrick Lavery to five years in jail, half of which he will spend in custody and half on probation.
One of Lavery's victims has spoken out about the abuse he suffered as a child.
Paul, not his real name, described it as "sexual and violent".
"There was a long period of time where I carried a lot of shame and guilt about it, and I didn't really want to talk about it."
He said he was emboldened when he heard another of Lavery's victims had spoken to police.
He described how his abuser "hid in plain sight" relying on his reputation within the community.
"To the outside world he was a god-fearing man. Someone seen as respectable and caring, even looking after the elderly.
"That public image gave him cover because nobody wanted to believe some with status could also be an abuser.
"And he used that reputation as protection, knowing it made it harder for children to be believed if they spoke out.
"That's how he was able to go unnoticed for so long."
Paul said the decision to contact the police and to stick with the criminal justice process had been a difficult one.
At times he felt retraumatised, especially when he had to listen to his abuser's version of events in court.
But he said he had been well-supported throughout.
He described his abuser as an "incredibly sick man" and said he took consolation from the fact that his conviction would make it very difficult for him to re-offend.
"I have to try and move to a place where I no longer carry hate.
"I guess the big sense of relief that I feel is knowing that the chances of another child suffering has been greatly reduced and that brings me a lot of peace."
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