Laois Tattoo Artist Who Sexually Assaulted Two women And Girl Jailed For 8 Years

Tuesday, 29 April 2025 07:54

61 year old Paul Kelleher of Esker Gate, Mountmellick was convicted of three counts of sexual assault earlier this year.

A former tattoo and piercing parlour owner has been jailed for eight years for the separate sexual assaults of two women and a teenage girl while they were clients of his business.

61 year old Paul Kelleher of Esker Gate, Mountmellick, in Laois was convicted following a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court earlier this year.

The offending took place at Newfaze Ink, in Portlaoise between August and December 2015 and in January 2018.

Two of the victims were receiving piercings when Kelleher sexually assaulted them.

The third victim - who was 14 at the time - was having a piercing cleaned when Kelleher sexually assaulted her.

Kelleher was yesterday handed a sentence of nine years, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions.

He maintains his innocence and after sentence was imposed, Kelleher addressed the court to say he would be changing his legal team.

The court heard that the three victims wish for Kelleher to be named.

In their victim impact statements, the complainants spoke of the profound effect of Kelleher's offending on their lives, including a lack of trust in male professionals, particularly men working in medical fields.

When interviewed Mr Kelleher denied the allegations.

He gave evidence on his own behalf during the trial, during which he also denied wrongdoing.

Kelleher's wife claimed in her evidence that she was present when the first victim was being pierced and nothing happened. She didn't tell gardai this when she was interviewed, the court was told.

He has two previous convictions, including one for sexual assault in similar circumstances for which he received a four-year sentence, with the final two years suspended

Imposing sentence, Judge Pauline Codd said Kelleher's previous conviction for similar offending was aggravating.

Kelleher was given three consecutive sentences of three years.

The final year of the global nine-year sentence is suspended on the condition that Kelleher attends counselling to reduce his risk of sexual re-offending.