Five of the 11 victims of paedophile school principal, Patrick Barry yesterday hit out at the ‘wrong and unjust’ court decision to reduce his six year jail term to two years.
At the Court of Criminal Appeal last Friday, the 81-year from Well Rd, Kilkee had his 11 year sentence with five of those suspended reduced to a five year term with the final three years suspended.
It is likely that the abuser will be released from jail next Spring.
The Co Clare man abused 11 school girls at Moyasta NS over a 21 year period between 1964 and 1985 and has never shown any remorse for the assaults committed in the class room at the two teacher school.
At the Court of Criminal Appeal, Ms Justice Garrett Sheehan said that the trial judge had erred in locating the gravity of the offending at the starting point of 11 years imprisonment.
He said that the court considered five years as the appropriate starting point for Barry’s sentence.
Bearing in mind his age, health problems and the “significant contribution” he made to his community on retirement, Mr Justice Sheehan said the court would suspend the final three years of the five-year sentence.
However, one of the women said yesterday she was “very saddened and upset to have Pat Barry's sentence reduced by such an enormous amount”.
She said: “I think it belittles us as victims and would almost encourage other 'would be predators' that it is worth the risk with a slap on the wrist like this.
She added: “I sincerely hope it doesn't put off other victims from coming forward. We were innocent helpless children supposed to be in a protected environment but instead were subjected to this predator every single day for years. No sentence could be long enough to get the correct justice here but to shorten it to this is just wrong and unjust.”
Each of the five who could be contacted yesterday has made individuals statements and another woman said: “As one of Pat Barry’s victims, I am gutted by the reduction in his sentence. I had to sit during three weeks of evidence at his trial and relive my worst nightmare of a childhood ruined by this man’s abuse.
She said: “The scars still remain after 40 years. One of the hardest things for me to understand is how his ‘significant contribution’ to his community held such sway in the court of appeal.
She said: “In my opinion, these contributions can never outweigh the significant damage and hurt I have have been left with by Pat Barry’s abuse.
She added: “One consolation I have is that Pat Barry was found guilty by a unanimous verdict and is a registered sex offender. I would encourage all victims of abuse to come forward and report it to the authorities."
Another woman said that as a victim of Mr Barry “I find it a very bitter pill to swallow that only six months into his sentence the court has deemed him suitable to be released back into society less than two years into his jail term
She said: “This predator has shown no remorse for his behaviour and despite having been found guilty on all charges brought against him, continues, it would seem, to claim his innocence.
She pointed out that “the decision of the court to reduce his sentence by such an amount will definitely discourage others who have suffered as we did from coming forward".
Another woman said that his convictions of being guilty of 59 counts of indecent assault still stands but “on a personal level, I am disappointed that the sentence has been reduced by so much.
She said: “I fund it hard to understand the reasons for this as I know the impact his abuse has had on me personally and on others."
Another victim said that the Court of Criminal Appeal decision “was made without ever bringing the victims into the equation. He has been convicted and the victims are carrying out the sentence”.
