Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 1058Breach of Sex Offenders Act conditions · Co. Louth

Warrant issued for arrest of Simon McGinley after evading gardai

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Simon McGinley, 52, after he failed to report his whereabouts to gardai following his release from Midlands Prison at the end of June 2025, where he had been serving a sentence for breaching Sex Offenders Act conditions since August 2023. He was previously convicted of two rapes: a 13-year-old girl in 1997, for which he received 12 years, and an 85-year-old woman in Co Monaghan in 2008, for which he received 21 years and served 13 before his release from Arbour Hill Prison in October 2022. He was photographed in Dundalk, Co Louth in early July 2025, has since gone off the garda radar, and may have fled to the UK. A summons was obtained by gardai to bring him back to court, and he remains under Probation Service supervision for 12 years and on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

  1. Reported
  2. Arrested
  3. Charged
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Simon McGinley after he failed to report his whereabouts to gardai following his release from prison.
Where
He was photographed in Dundalk, Co Louth in early July 2025, and may have fled to the UK in recent weeks.
When
He was released from Midlands Prison at the end of June 2025 and has gone off the garda radar in the weeks since.
Investigation
A summons was obtained by gardai to bring him back to court.
In court
  • He was in prison since August 2023 after being sentenced at Dundalk Circuit Court for breaching conditions of the Sex Offenders Act.
  • He was released from Arbour Hill Prison in October 2022 after serving 13 years of a 21-year sentence for the rape of an 85-year-old woman in her Co Monaghan home in 2008.
  • 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 under the supervision of the Probation Service for the next 12 years and has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for the rest of his life.
14 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)
  • whereHe was photographed in Dundalk, Co Louth in early July 2025 (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationHe has gone off the garda radar in the past few weeks (irishmirror.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)
  • otherHe may have fled to the UK in recent weeks (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 4 Sep2025
    Otheririshmirror.ie, first report
    Warrant 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