Sex abuser spotted on TV jailed for two years
A man contacted gardaí to make a formal complaint after seeing the former scout leader who sexually abused him and two other boys almost 40 years ago on television.
James Gilleran, 70, appeared on The Late Late Show in 2021 as a volunteer for the Irish Cancer Society's Daffodil Day campaign.
He was jailed for two years on Tuesday. One of his victims contacted another complainant after seeing Gilleran on TV, with a third then coming forward. A file image of James Gilleran during a launch for the Irish Cancer Society's Daffodil Day campaign in 2018. Pic: Collins
The three men later made formal complaints to gardaí that Gilleran had sexually abused them while he was a scout leader of 117th Francis Street Scout Group in Dublin 8, between 1983 and 1987. He also worked at that time as a sacristan in the Whitefriar Street Church in Dublin 2.
The three men indicated to the court they wished to waive their anonymity and for Gilleran to be named.
Longford man Gilleran, who lived in Parkview Court, Blackhorse Avenue, Cabra, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty to five counts of indecent assault on dates between 1983 and 1987. James Gilleran was jailed for two years. Pic: Mark Gusev/Shutterstock
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard this primarily involved inappropriate touching.
The boys were aged between 11 and 13 when Gilleran abused them. He has one previous conviction for the sexual assault of a boy in a cerebral palsy clinic and was handed a four year sentence in 1997, reduced to two years on appeal.
The man who recognised Gilleran from TV – Rory Patchell – said in his impact statement that he suppressed his memory of the abuse until he saw Gilleran 'lauded' on television.
'James Gilleran, I stand here as a survivor supported by my wife, children and loving family,' he said. 'You have nothing'. A file image of James Gilleran during a launch for the Irish Cancer Society's Daffodil Day campaign in 2018. Pic: Collins
Another injured party – Stephen Devlin – described Gilleran as a 'Pied Piper cycling around the Liberties' who presented himself as a 'role model' for the young boys in his care. The third injured party – Greg Stafford – said he was an 'innocent child' who was taken advantage of and Gilleran's actions have had a lifelong impact on him.
Imposing sentence on Tuesday, Judge Orla Crowe said of Gilleran's offending: 'It constituted a gross violation of their bodily integrity, their innocence, happiness, trust, childhood, their peace of mind.
'They were children. They were small, innocent.'
She said Gilleran subjected them to 'predatory behaviour', including exposing them to alcohol and pornography. She added: 'The impact is still felt to this day by these injured parties.' Taking into account a number of mitigating factors, she sentenced Gilleran to two years' imprisonment.
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Extra.ie
17-05-2025
- Extra.ie
Man thought his abuser was dead until he saw 'Daffodil man' on the Late Late Show
On an ordinary Friday night, Rory Patchell was sitting at home watching the Late Late Show with his wife when he was stunned to see his childhood abuser 'on a pedestal' on his television screen. Until then, he had suppressed memories of the sexual abuse he had endured as a child in the 1980s, at the hands of his scout master who he thought was now dead. In an exclusive interview with Mr Patchell reveals that it was at that moment he first told his wife of his childhood torment. A file image of James Gilleran during a launch for the Irish Cancer Society's Daffodil Day campaign in 2018. Pic: Collins 'My wife never knew about it, but when he appeared on telly… it's not something I could hide. In my mind he was buried away. All of a sudden, he's on the telly.' James Gilleran, 70, better known as 'Daff Man' – a mascot for the Irish Cancer Society (ICS) for decades – was jailed for two years this week for the historical sexual abuse of three boys. Gilleran, of Parkview Court, Blackhorse Avenue, Cabra, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty to five counts of indecent assault on dates between 1983 and 1987. As 'Daff Man', he had gained a level of fame – he was wheeled out before the media, pictured alongside taoisigh and widely praised for his fundraising work for the charity. James Gilleran on the Late Late Show. Pic: RTE That saw him invited onto the Late Late Show in 2021 for a special programme celebrating the Irish Cancer Society. That appearance prompted Mr Patchell, now 52, to contact the charity, which reported Gilleran to gardaí and Tusla, ultimately leading to his imprisonment this week. After years of hiding in plain sight, Gilleran finally faced justice for his disgusting crimes. Mr Patchell describes seeing the abuser he believed to be long-dead glorified on one of Ireland's most popular TV programmes. He said: 'When I saw him on the Late Late, the first thing I said was: 'I thought he was dead.' It was total shock from there on in and anger and every emotion. A file image of James Gilleran during a launch for the Irish Cancer Society's Daffodil Day campaign in 2018. Pic: Collins 'I don't remember what he said or did on the show. Seeing him was enough to realise he wasn't dead. I left Dublin a long time ago so when you see him up there, put on a pedestal, it's a shock,' Mr Patchell said. 'Not too many people get onto the Late Late unless you're being celebrated as a good person. That's what he was known as for years. He fooled everybody. Some people have a complex where they start to think 'I've overcome this', thinking they got away with it.' He added: 'I got onto the Cancer Society on the following Monday to speak to them and they had to tell the gardaí and then the gardaí contacted me further down the line about the investigation.' 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'I don't think a two-year sentence for him is enough for what he did. It should be more like 22 years, but the important thing is that he can't hide from this now,' he added. 'He's guilty and he can't be anonymous and then all of a sudden turn up at another charitable organisation. He could have gone to prison for two years and come out and no one would have known. His name is James Gilleran and you can find him. 'If it helps other people contact the gardaí, then it's worth doing. We're all grown men now with families, and we've done nothing wrong.' Sentencing him on Tuesday, Judge Orla Crowe described Gilleran's offending as a 'gross violation of children'. She noted Gilleran had subjected them to 'predatory behaviour', including exposing them to alcohol and pornography. 'The impact is still felt to this day by these injured parties.' The Irish Cancer Society said it was 'shocked to learn that someone who fundraised for the society perpetrated such crimes'. A spokeswoman said they were contacted after the Late Late Show appearance, and had been 'made aware of allegations against Mr Gilleran'. She said: 'We promptly reported these allegations to An Garda Síochána, Tusla and Scouting Ireland.' Gilleran's work with the ICS 'related solely to fundraising in public places and media work', the ICS said. 'At no point would he have had unsupervised access to children or vulnerable people in such a role.' 'Fundraising and media volunteers are not Garda-vetted as their work does not meet the criteria for vetting with the National Garda Vetting Bureau. We were not aware of his previous convictions until the court reporting this week.' In one 2016 interview, Gilleran estimated that he had collected around €45,000 for the Irish Cancer Society since he began volunteering 'over 20 years ago'. Mr Patchell believes that if there had been more publicity about Gilleran's first conviction, it would have prevented him from becoming famous as a charitable character around Dublin. 'Everyone has the right to do what they see fit, but we were shocked that he had been convicted for this same crime previously and nobody knew anything about it until sentencing at the end of April,' he said. When asked his views on Mr Gilleran representing the Irish Cancer Society in the media, having already been convicted of a child sex abuse crime, Mr Patchell was sympathetic to the charity's situation. 'The time when it happened was different with Garda vetting. Was there even such a thing back then?' he asked. 'You can blame so many people for so many parts of it, but he was the face of the Irish Cancer Society for so long and no one ever came out. 'He was on the back of buses all around Dublin so, knowing what is known now, there really should have been more safeguards in place back then. Not just in the Cancer Society but all charities. 'People would've known who he was from the fundraising he did. I was out of Dublin maybe 20 years, I didn't see him, so in my mind he was dead and I wasn't going to go looking for him. Then he appeared on TV.' Mr Patchell added that during the trial he didn't interact much with the other victims, explaining: 'Everyone's story is their own, but it's not something you sit down with a group of people and you have a chat about it over a pint. I'm very proud to stand beside Stephen and Greg. I wish I didn't have to. 'There are a lot of questions you can ask – 'if this had gone differently, would this still have happened?' – but that's life,' he said. The court heard that Gilleran had written letters of apology to the men, who said that they had no wish to read them.
Sunday World
15-05-2025
- Sunday World
Irish Cancer Society ‘shocked' as ‘Daffman' jailed for sex abuse of young boys
'At no point would he have had unsupervised access to children or vulnerable people in such a role' The Irish Cancer Society has said it was 'shocked' when it learned that former scout leader James Gilleran, who was jailed this week for sexual abuse, had fundraised for the charity. The 70-year-old was given a two-year sentence after a man, who had seen Gilleran on TV, contacted gardai to make a formal complaint that he and two other boys had been sexually abused by him almost 40 years ago. Gilleran had appeared on the Late Late Show in 2021 in his capacity as a volunteer for the Irish Cancer Society's Daffodil Day campaign. James Gilleran in his role as the 'Daffman' fundraiser One of his victims contacted another complainant after seeing Gilleran on television, with a third also then coming forward. The well-regarded charity said they were 'shocked to learn that someone who fundraised for the society perpetrated such crimes' when asked about Gilleran, while commending the victims on pursuing justice. A spokesperson for the Society said they had been contacted after the Late Late Show in 2021 and 'made aware of allegations against Mr Gilleran'. 'We promptly reported these allegations to An Garda Siochana, Tusla and Scouting Ireland,' the spokesperson said. 'Mr Gilleran was stepped down as a fundraising volunteer and has not volunteered for us since.' The spokesperson stressed that his work with the ICS 'related solely to fundraising in public places and media work'. 'At no point would he have had unsupervised access to children or vulnerable people in such a role,' the spokesperson said. 'Fundraising and media volunteers are not garda vetted as their work does not meet the criteria for vetting with the National Garda Vetting Bureau. 'We were not aware of his previous convictions until the court reporting this week.' Gilleran was a prominent fundraiser for the society and had even appeared in 2014 as the original 'Daff Man' dressed in a suit of daffodils to celebrate Daffodil Day as he raised money on O'Connell Street in Dublin. This week, the three men who made formal complaints to gardai that Gilleran had sexually abused them while he was a scout leader of 117th Francis Street Scout Group during the 1980s, indicated to the court they wished to waive their anonymity and for Gilleran to be named. Gilleran, of Parkview Court, Blackhorse Avenue, Cabra, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty to five counts of indecent assault on dates between 1983 and 1987. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard the abuse primarily involved inappropriate touching. The boys were aged between 11 and 13 when Gilleran abused them. Gilleran has one previous conviction for the sexual assault of a boy in a cerebral palsy clinic and was handed a four year sentence in 1997, which was reduced to two years on appeal. The injured party who recognised Gilleran from TV – Rory Patchell - said in his impact statement that he suppressed his memory of the abuse until he saw Gilleran 'lauded on TV'. 'James Gilleran, I stand here as a survivor supported by my wife, children and loving family,' he said. 'You have nothing'. Another injured party – Stephen Devlin - described Gilleran as a 'pied piper cycling around the Liberties' who presented himself as a 'role model' who cared for the young boys in his care. The third injured party - Greg Stafford – said he was an 'innocent child' who was taken advantage of and Gilleran's actions have had a lifelong impact on him. Imposing sentence today, Judge Orla Crowe said Gilleran's offending constituted a 'gross violation of children'. Read more Former scout leader jailed for sexual abuse after victim saw his abuser on TV 'It constituted a gross violation of their bodily integrity, their innocence, happiness, trust, childhood, their peace of mind,' the judge said. 'They were children. They were small, innocent.' She noted Gilleran had subjected them to 'predatory behaviour', including exposing them to alcohol and pornography. 'The impact is still felt to this day by these injured parties,' the judge said. Taking into account a number of mitigating factors, she sentenced Gilleran to two years' imprisonment. Detective Garda Richard Mostyn of Divisional Protective Services Unit in Kevin Street Garda Station told Fiona McGowan BL, prosecuting, that Gilleran was a scout leader of the 117th Francis Street Scout Group between 1983 and 1987. He also worked at that time as a sacristan in the White Friar Street Church. The first complainant, Mr Patchell, said the first incident took place in the boiler room of White Friar Street Church. He recalled Gilleran touched him inappropriately over his trousers, then masturbating himself. Gilleran indecently assaulted him a second time in the kitchen at the Scout Hall in June 1985. A third incident took place at the Gilleran's family home in Co. Longford following a sponsored cycle. James Gilleran News in 90 Seconds - May 15th The court heard that Gilleran brought the boy to a bar before the incident occurred and gave him alcohol. Reading his victim impact statement, Mr Patchell said Gilleran 'groomed and sexually abused me as a boy'. He said Gilleran stole part of his childhood and adulthood. He said he lived with the crime and suppressed the memories. He also outlined the effects on his mental health. The second complainant, Mr Devlin, was at Gilleran's then-home in Sundrive Park, Kimmage when the scout leader indecently assaulted him. He was given a glass of cider while at the flat. Gilleran also asked the boy to touch his penis, but the boy refused. James Gilleran Mr Devlin described in his victim impact statement how he had trusted Gilleran and believed him to be a 'figure of safety'. He said Gilleran 'fooled' him as he was a child, but also fooled parents. He said Gilleran was a 'grown man in a position of trust who lured me into his web and took advantage of me', adding that his childhood innocence was lost as a result. He said he developed a mistrust of authority figures and the fear of betrayal lingered. He said his mother had believed in the 'integrity of scouting' and then had to live with 'the burden that she was deceived and her only son abused'. Gilleran brought the third boy, Mr Stafford, to the cinema, then to his home at Sundrive Park. He gave the then 11-year-old a can of beer and pornographic magazines to look at. Gilleran put on the TV, then indecently assaulted the boy. During the abuse, Gilleran told the boy, 'It's okay, all lads do this'. The boy pushed Gilleran away, and went to leave, but the door was locked. He told Gilleran he wanted to go, and the scout leader left the boy at the bus stop. In his victim impact statement, Mr Stafford said he was left at a bus stop after the abuse 'crying, confused and lost'. He said the abuse has had a lifelong effect on him and outlined suffering with nightmares, flashback and other mental health issues. James Gilleran Mr Stafford said his mother 'blamed herself' as she'd let him go that day thinking he would have a good time. He said it 'broke her heart' for the rest of her life, and she was still apologising to him during one of their last conversations when he told her neither of them were at fault. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that records from Scouting Ireland were obtained as part of the investigation. When interviewed by gardai in 2022, Gilleran didn't accept any wrongdoing but confirmed his addresses in Dublin and Co. Longford. Det Gda Mostyn agreed with Philipp Rahn SC, defending, that his client entered an early guilty plea. It was also accepted that disclosure was sought and some records were not available about an earlier investigation, but the defendant wished to plead guilty. The court heard Gilleran wrote letters of apology to the men, who have indicated they do not wish to receive them. The garda also agreed that Gilleran has a good work history and involvement with charitable work. Mr Rahn said Gilleran was from Longford and moved to Dublin when he was 17. He asked the court to take into account his client's long work history, and age. Gilleran has a number of health issues and was recently in hospital for a cardiac incident. He was a carer for his long-term partner after he became ill and who passed away seven years ago. Counsel noted his client's previous conviction, but asked the court to consider that his client has lived an offending free life for 30 years. 'He instructed he wished to atone for what he has done, and lay himself at the mercy of the court,' Mr Rahn said.
