Pervert Ulster’s Oldest Convict

A dangerous paedophile pensioner yesterday became Ulster’s oldest inmate when he was jailed for six years. Robert Wallace (78) – who twice went on the run from police and was the subject of a country-wide man-hunt – was sentenced at Belfast Crown Court.

Judge Norman Lockie said that he had warned Wallace (pictured left) in January of this year that any further breaches of his probation order would have serious consequences.

“Sadly the defendant failed to honour the trust that the probation service placed in him,” said the judge.

Wallace was previously jailed in 2005 for molesting two young girls.

Last February Wallace, of no fixed abode, sneaked out of his probation hostel, sparking a nation-wide manhunt for the pervert who, even at 78-years-old, still poses a danger to children and vulnerable adults.

However, he was re-captured in Garvagh within six days and yesterday he appeared in the Crown court to be charged with failing to comply with the terms of the police sex offenders register in that he failed to tell cops about a change of address.

It was the second time in the space of seven months that Wallace had absconded after being released from a three year jail term imposed in 2005 after he abused and sexually molested two young girls.

Defence lawyer Michael McAleer revealed that Wallace was originally released in March last year but then was on-the-run from June until last August before being returned to custody until Judge Lockie imposed the extended probation term in January this year.

However it was only three weeks after that court appearance when he absconded again, sparking the manhunt.