Convicted paedophile flees to east Mayo
GARDAI MONITOR KILMOVEE SITUATION...By Tom ShielA CONVICTED paedophile, who was forced to leave Athlone following an attack on the premises where he had been giving computer lessons to young students, has returned to the house in east Mayo where he had been living before he was arrested by Gardai some four years ago. Members of the local community at Sinolane, Kilmovee, near Kilkelly, have expressed concern at the return of 52 year old George Bruce Thompson, who has served three years in jail for sexual offences, to the area. Gardai have confirmed they are aware that Thompson is back in the two-storey house at Sinolane which he unsuccessfully tried to put on the market through a Castlebar based auctioneer around the time of his arrest in 1995. "We are aware of this man's presence but he is not wanted for any offences at the moment', a Garda spokesman explained yesterday (Tuesday). 'SICK MAN'At the time of his conviction and imprisonment, Thompson was told by Judge Kieran O'Connor: "You are obviously a very sick man and the court has a duty to protect the public'. Thompson, who has a history of sexual deviancy in Britain, was jailed for three years for sexually assaulting two young brothers over an 18 month period. He also admitted sexual assaults on another boy on three occasions in 1994 and on a seven year old boy in May 1995. Locals in the Kilmovee/Kilkelly area knew nothing about Thompson's background when he came to the area in 1995 and began offering computer tuition in his home to young people. "He seemed a normal enough person but the fact that he seemed to be providing accommodation for young boys, whom he said were from Dublin, at weekends did arouse some suspicion', one resident of the area commented in the past few days. COMPUTER TRAININGOn his release from prison last year, Thompson went to Athlone where he opened an Internet and computer training store He offered hourly rates for access to the Internet and many young secondary school students were among his customers for either group or private "one to one"tuition. Following publication in the Sunday World newspaper of details about Thompson's past, his Athlone premises were vandalised and he left the area in a hurry. He is now living quietly in Kilmovee where he has little contact with neighbours. It is believed one of Thompson's priorities is to carry out improvements to the house at Sinolane which had become a little dilapidated. Increased Garda activity has been noted in the Sinolane area since Thompson's return but a spokesman for the Force emphasised that, although they are keeping an eye on the situation, he is not wanted for any offences at the moment. |
