Former Christian Brother Dies: Child Sex Abuse Conviction
Paul Dunleavy, Former Christian Brother Convicted of Child Sex Abuse, Dies in Prison
Table of Contents
Background
Paul Dunleavy (89), a former teacher and school principal, and a member of the Christian Brothers order, died while serving multiple prison sentences for historical child sex abuse. He was incarcerated with an address listed as Glen Road, Belfast.
Convictions and Sentencing
Dunleavy was convicted of a total of 72 offenses involving 18 victims. In September 2024, he was found guilty of 36 charges of historical sexual abuse against nine boys. Following this conviction, he received an additional 10-year prison sentence in November 2024 at Belfast Crown Court.
The offenses occurred between 1964 and 1991 while Dunleavy worked at four schools located in Belfast, Newry, and Armagh. The victims were between seven and 14 years old at the time of the abuse.
Death in Custody
The Northern Ireland Department of Justice confirmed that an 89-year-old prisoner died in hospital on Tuesday, August 26th, 2025.The Northern Ireland Prison Service stated, “The prisoner died on August 26th, 2025. As with standard procedure,the PSNI,coroner and Prisoner Ombudsman have been informed.”