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Abuse victim ‘disgusted’ paedo attacker allowed to live beside her after prison release

“He went to Mass on Sunday morning and went up to receive Holy Communion and walked down like an innocent man”

Today at 15:14

The victim of a former politician convicted of sexual abuse is “disgusted” he has been allowed to return to live beside her.

Jim McKeever, a former SDLP councillor on Derry City and Strabane District Council, was released from prison last week after serving two years of a four-year sentence for abusing a child.

He was convicted in May 2022 of eight separate offences between August 1981 and December 1988.

His victim, who was aged between seven and 14 at the time of the abuse, had been informed McKeever, 65, was being released from jail.

However, she was horrified to be told he has returned to the small rural community in Co Derry where he had previously lived and where his victim still lives.

She is now terrified she will “bump into” her abuser.“I am disgusted, nervous and cried out. I just can’t focus,” said McKeever’s victim.

“When he was convicted I was told he would serve two years in prison and two years on licence, but that he wouldn’t be allowed to return to the local area when he was released.

“I got the phone call last week to say he was being released and I asked where he was going to be living.

“I was told he is out with no conditions and I asked how that can be the case.

“I phoned the police officer who had supported me during the case and she confirmed he had been released without any conditions.”The former politician, who was kicked out of the SDLP after his conviction, has attended local church services.

“He went to Mass on Sunday morning and went up to receive Holy Communion and walked down like an innocent man,” said his victim.

“He was at Mass on Monday morning as well.

“My father is buried in the graveyard beside the chapel so there’s a chance if I went up to visit his grave I could bump into him.”

The woman said she was frightened of meeting McKeever.

“I just wouldn’t want to be going out on my own

A spokesperson for the PSNI confirmed officers were in attendance at the protest on Thursday evening, where a number of people had gathered.

“Enquiries are ongoing in relation to an un-notified procession in the area,” said the spokesperson.

McKeever had denied the sex abuse offences.

During the trial the victim said the abuse she suffered as a child by McKeever, who had fostered around 50 children along with his wife over a number of years, mainly involved sexual touching.

She recalled incidents in houses in and around Derry in the 1980s and also spoke of being abused in a factory where McKeever used to rent an office.

Judge Donna McColgan QC spoke of the impact McKeever’s offending has had upon his victim.At the time, the SDLP said the party had suspended McKeever as soon as charges were brought and formally expelled him following his conviction.

In November 2023, McKeever lost a bid to overturn his conviction.The Court of Appeal dismissed James McKeever’s claims that evidence from a childhood friend of the victim was wrongly admitted at his trial.

Lord Justice Treacy said there was “no doubt” about the safety of the guilty verdicts.