Fears of a paedophile ring in small Midlands town grow after two brothers BOTH plead guilty to raping schoolgirls who'd been working for them as babysitters - with arrest of ANOTHER prominent businessman from the area further heightening suspicions

By VALERIE HANLEY and DEBBIE MCCANN Published: 22:30, 15 May 2026 | Updated: 22:30, 15 May 2026 Two brothers have been convicted separately with repeatedly raping and sexual assaulting schoolgirls working for them as babysitters. And the recent arrest of a well–known businessman – also from the same rural community in the Midlands – has sparked fears a paedophile ring has been operating in the locality for several year. The siblings, also prominent businessmen aged in their late sixties and early seventies, are both in custody after pleading guilty to a series of horrific sex attacks on three teenagers.  The sexual predators and their victims all lived in the same closely knit community. Others suspected of committing sexual offences against children include an elderly cleric and a retired member of the judiciary, but no arrests have yet been made in relation to these suspects. Gardai have yet to establish a link between the jailed brothers and other suspected sex offenders in the area. But it is believed more victims have been prompted to come forward when details of the their sickening assaults on underage girls became public knowledge in their community. The two men have already appeared separately before the courts. One is already in prison, while the second relative is in custody awaiting sentencing. A source familiar with the cases told the MoS: ‘The school girls, who are now all grown women, came forward about three years ago and they made complaints to gardaí about being abused by these two men.  'Both of these men are part of a prominent well known business family and would be well regarded in their community. ‘These men had young families of their own but they were raping and sexually assaulting school girls who were babysitting their children.  'The youngsters they were sexually assaulting were only about 14 or 15 years old at the time and they were all living close to where these men were rearing their families. ‘These men are from a wealthy family and until recently no one knew anything about what they were doing. It wasn’t until these young women went to the guards that the whole thing came out.’ Gardai have yet to establish a link between the jailed brothers and other suspected sex offenders in the area ‘These men had young families of their own but they were raping and sexually assaulting school girls who were babysitting their children.' IMAGE: STOCK The recent arrest of a well–known businessman – also from the same rural community – has sparked fears a paedophile ring has been operating in the locality for several year. IMAGE: Stock The source added: ‘When it became known locally that they had made complaints, this may have prompted others to come forward.’ A garda investigation was launched when the three young women came forward claiming they had been sexually assaulted and raped by the relatives. The shocking abuse cases have caused a schism in the tightly knit community where they and their abusers lived. A source said: ‘These men and their victims all lived in more or less the same area and when these three young women came forward there was widespread disbelief.  'No one could believe these two men could be involved in something like this. The young women were called liars.’ However, it has now been established the two men raped and sexually assaulted three under age school girls. They also sexually assaulted some of the same children. There are growing fears locally that these attacks could be linked to other sexual offences against children in the same area where the brothers lived. In recent weeks, a third prominent businessman from the locality was arrested and held for questioning at a garda station. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.