Northern Ireland

Seamus Marley questioned in prison over further abuse allegations

Seamus Marley (45), pictured leaving court earlier this year, is originally from Ardoyne in north Belfast. Picture from RTÉ
Seamus Marley (45), pictured leaving court earlier this year, is originally from Ardoyne in north Belfast. Picture from RTÉ Seamus Marley (45), pictured leaving court earlier this year, is originally from Ardoyne in north Belfast. Picture from RTÉ

A north Belfast man jailed in Dublin for raping two teenage boys in the early 1990s has been questioned in prison about further alleged sex offences.

Seamus Marley (45) was sentenced to seven years behind bars in May after being convicted of six counts of sexual assault and two counts of rape.

The alleged IRA member had been staying in a so-called 'safe house' in Co Louth when the abuse took place.

The boys were aged 13 or 14 and 16 or 17 at the time.

During Marley's trial, a Dublin court heard that he had threatened one of the boys that if he ever told anyone about what happened he would be found dead on a border road. 

The court was told most of the abuse happened at the house where IRA members were brought in the 1980s and 1990s and stayed for a few days or weeks.

Marley is a son of Larry Marley, a prominent Ardoyne republican linked to the 1983 mass escape of IRA prisoners from the Maze Prison, and who was murdered by the UVF in 1987.

Jailing him, Judge Paul McDermott noted that he had pleaded not guilty and had not offered sincere remorse.

He also ordered that when Marley - whom the court was told is now a born again Christian - completes his sentence he must undertake a two-year supervision programme.

It is believed that gardaí visited Marley in prison yesterday and questioned him in relation to further allegations of historical sex abuse.

A spokesperson for the Irish Prison Service said it does not comment on individual prisoners.

A Garda spokesperson also said: "It is not the policy of An Garda Síochána to comment on named individuals."