This article is from page 9 of the 2014-07-15 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 9 JPG
THERE were emotional scenes at Ennis Courthouse on Friday as a retired teacher was found guilty on 59 counts of indecently assaulting former pupils at a Clare primary school.
Victims wept and embraced each other as a jury returned guilty verdicts against Pat Barry (80), of Well Road, Kilkee.
Barry denied 67 counts of indecently assaulting 11 girls at Moyasta National School between 1964 and 1985.
Judge Gerald Keyes had directed the jury of seven women and five men to find Mr Barry not guilty on eight of the 67 counts.
At the conclusion of the eleven day trial at Ennis Circuit Criminal Court, the jury today returned unanimous guilty verdicts on the remaining 59 counts.
Barry, who has hearing difficulties, sat with his left hand cupped around his ear, straining to hear Judge Keyes for the five minutes it took the Judge to read out the verdicts.
The jury deliberated for five hours and 35 minutes over two days.
They returned unanimous verdicts, 30 minutes after being told by Judge Keyes he would accept majority verdicts in each of the counts.
In the hallway outside the courtroom, the women hugged and wiped tears from their faces.
They declined to comment but one family friend spoke the “huge sense of relief” felt at the end long of the near three week trial.
The trial heard from 19 prosecutions witness including the 11 female complainants.
In evidence, the women detailed how Barry would grope and touch them on a regular basis primarily when they were in fifth and sixth class.
They recalled how Barry would call them to the top of the class and hold them between his legs while he sat at his desk.
The court heard he would press their hands onto his genitals.
Another woman recalled how Barry would squeeze into her seat beside her and put his hand up her shirt and on her private area.
“That was one of his favourites”, she said.
During the first week of the trial, one woman told the jury how, “That man molested me more times than I care to remember”.
The former teacher had been granted anonymity throughout the duration of the duration of the eleven day trial.
But after the verdicts were returned, Counsel for the State, Anthony Sammon SC, told Judge Keyes, it was the “express wish of the complainants” that he now be named.
Barry served as principal at Moyasta National School from 1964 and 1989.
The garda investigation into him was sparked by a complaint made in 2010 by a former student, referred to in the trial as Mr A.
That man has since passed away. Gardaí took 163 statements during the course of their investigation. Barry, who will now be placed on the Sex Offender’s Register.
The case was adjourned to October 28 when a date for sentencing will be fixed.
Barry, who will now be placed on the Sex Offender’s Register, was remanded on continuing bail.