Ireland Case No. 0731Breach of Sex Offenders Act · Co. Louth · 15 Jul 2025
Simon McGinley jailed for breaching Sex Offenders Act in Louth
Simon McGinley, a 52-year-old man from the Dundalk area, was jailed for two and a half years at Drogheda Circuit Court on 12 October 2026 after pleading guilty to three breaches of the Sex Offenders Act. He was released from Midlands Prison in July 2025 after serving a one-year sentence for a previous breach, then failed to notify gardaí and the Probation Service before travelling to Scotland with family members. He was arrested in Scotland in October 2025 for driving offences and giving a false name, then arrested for the Sex Offenders Act breaches on 5 March 2026 and extradited to Ireland in early 2026. He had previously served 13 years of a 21-year sentence for the 2008 rape of an 85-year-old woman in Co Monaghan and 12 years for the 1997 rape of a 13-year-old girl.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Convicted25 Jun
- Sentenced12 Oct
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Simon McGinley was jailed for two and a half years at Drogheda Circuit Court on 12 October 2026 for three breaches of the Sex Offenders Act.
- He was released from Midlands Prison in July 2025 after serving a one-year sentence for a previous Sex Offenders Act breach.
- He failed to notify gardaí and the Probation Service of his whereabouts after release and travelled to Scotland with family members in July 2025.
- He was arrested in Scotland on 28 October 2025 for driving offences and giving a false name and date of birth.
- He was arrested in relation to the Sex Offenders Act breaches on 5 March 2026.
- Where
- He has an address in the Dundalk area, Co Louth.
- Investigation
- He was extradited from Scotland in early 2026, with sources giving the date as either 1 March or 1 April 2026.
- Detective Garda James Kilgannon of Dundalk Garda Station gave evidence at Drogheda Circuit Court.
- In court
- He pleaded guilty to three Sex Offenders Act breaches at Drogheda Circuit Court on 25 June 2026.
- He had previously served 13 years of a 21-year sentence for the 2008 rape of an 85-year-old woman in Co Monaghan.
- He was sentenced to 12 years in 1998 after pleading guilty to raping a 13-year-old girl in August 1997.
- Other details
- He is on the Sex Offenders Register for life and under Probation Service supervision for 12 years.
- He is a married father of five adult children with 33 previous convictions, and reports give his age as either 52 or 53.
53 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe 21-year sentence was for the rape of an 85-year-old woman in her Co Monaghan home in 2008 (irishmirror.ie)
- whatSimon McGinley is 53 years old and has an address in the Dundalk area (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
- whatMcGinley attended with the Probation Service on four occasions in July 2025 after his release (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
- whatA booking was made under the name Simon McGinley to travel from Northern Ireland to Scotland on 17 July 2025 (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
- whatHe ceased to collect his social welfare payment (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
- whatHe was not at his home address when Det Garda Kilgannon went to serve a district court summons (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
- whatHe was arrested in Scotland for driving offences, giving a false name and date of birth on 28 October 2025 (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
- whatHe was arrested in relation to the Sex Offenders Act breaches on 5 March 2026 (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
- whereHe was photographed in Dundalk, Co Louth in early July 2025 (irishmirror.ie)
- whereHe has an address in Dundalk, Co Louth. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationHe has gone off the garda radar in the past few weeks (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationDetective Garda James Kilgannon of Dundalk Garda Station gave evidence at Drogheda Circuit Court. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationDetective Garda James Kilgannon of Dundalk Garda Station gave evidence (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
- investigationCCTV footage confirmed he had travelled to Scotland with other family members (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
- investigationHe was extradited from Scotland on 1 March 2026 (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
- investigationDet Garda Kilgannon said there was nothing to substantiate the threat claim (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
- courtA warrant has been issued for the arrest of Simon McGinley (irishmirror.ie)
- courtHe was released from Midlands Prison at the end of June 2025 (irishmirror.ie)
- courtHe completed a sentence received the previous year for breaching conditions of the Sex Offenders Act (irishmirror.ie)
- courtHe was in prison since August 2023 after being sentenced at Dundalk Circuit Court (irishmirror.ie)
- courtHe is under the supervision of the Probation Service for the next 12 years (irishmirror.ie)
- courtHe has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for the rest of his life (irishmirror.ie)
- courtA summons was obtained by gardai to bring him back to court (irishmirror.ie)
- courtHe was released from Arbour Hill Prison in October 2022 after serving 13 years of a 21-year sentence (irishmirror.ie)
- courtHe was sentenced to 12 years in 1998 after pleading guilty to raping a 13-year-old girl in August 1997 (irishmirror.ie)
- courtMr Justice Birmingham described the 2008 rape as being at the top of the upper end of the spectrum of rapes (irishmirror.ie)
- courtA summons was obtained from Dundalk District Court to be served on McGinley. (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceHe was jailed for two and a half years at Drogheda Circuit Court (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
- otherHe may have fled to the UK in recent weeks (irishmirror.ie)
- otherSimon McGinley is 52 years old. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe is on the Sex Offenders Register for life. (irishmirror.ie, dundalkdemocrat.ie)
- otherHe was extradited from Scotland earlier this year after failing to notify garda and the Probation Services of his whereabouts. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe is a married father of five adult children. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe served half of his life in prison after two rapes in 1998 and 2008. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe was released from the Midlands prison in July 2025 after being sentenced to one year for breaching the Sex Offenders Act. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherMcGinley attended with the Probation Services after his release on four occasions in July. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe failed to turn up for subsequent appointments. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherA booking was made under the name Simon McGinley to travel from Northern Ireland to Scotland on July 17, 2025. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherCCTV confirmed McGinley had travelled to Scotland along with other family members. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherUnder the Sex Offenders Act, defendants must notify gardai within 24 hours if they change their address or travel anywhere. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherMcGinley ceased to collect his social welfare payments for 12 weeks, €242 a week, €2,904 in total. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe was not at his home address to serve the summons. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe was remanded in custody in Scotland following his arrest for those offences. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe was arrested in relation to the Sex Offenders Act breaches on March 5, 2026. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe was extradited from Scotland on April 1, 2026. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe remains in custody in Cloverhill Prison. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe is a married father of five (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
- otherHe was released from Midlands prison in July 2025 after a one-year sentence for breaching the Sex Offenders Act (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
- otherHe served 13 years of a 21-year sentence for the rape of an 85-year-old woman in Monaghan in 2008 (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
- otherA previous rape of a 13-year-old girl in 1998 resulted in the C Case over when the teen was allowed to travel for an abortion in the UK (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
- otherUnder the Sex Offenders Act, defendants must notify gardaí within 24 hours if they change address or travel (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
- otherHe has 33 previous convictions mainly for road traffic offences, two for rape and one for breaching the Sex Offenders Act (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
- otherA testimonial letter from his mother and one from a parish priest were handed into court (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 12 Oct2026Louth Court: Simon McGinley jailed for breaching Sex Offenders Act
Sentencing details: 2.5-year term backdated to 5 March 2026; Judge Sinéad McMullan's reasoning citing prior breach conviction and deliberate departure from jurisdiction; defence argument about media-related threats; testimonial letters from mother and parish priest; Probation Service assessment as high risk of re-offending; 33 previous convictions noted.
convicted, Simon McGinley, 53, male, named, irish (judged from name)Simon McGinley - 25 Jun2026Double rapist could be jailed again after admitting Sex Offenders Act breaches
Reports the court hearing at Drogheda Circuit Court where McGinley pleaded guilty to three Sex Offenders Act breaches, details his extradition from Scotland, his 33 previous convictions including two rapes, and the adjournment until October for sentencing.
convicted, Simon McGinley, 52, male, named, irish (judged from name)Simon McGinleyvictim, 85, femalevictim, 13, female - 4 Sep2025Warrant issued for arrest of sicko sex fiend Simon McGinley as he evades gardai
Reports that a warrant has been issued for McGinley's arrest after he went off the garda radar following his release from Midlands Prison at the end of June 2025, and provides background on his two rape convictions (2008 and 1997) and his current conditions including 12 years of Probation Service supervision and lifetime placement on the Sex Offenders Register.
accused, Simon McGinley, 52, male, named, irish (judged from name)Simon McGinleyvictim, 85, femalevictim, 13, female