In Memory of an Innocent Abroad.

AlekSmart

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/courts/repeat-offender-left-trail-of-misery-in-his-wake-1754808.html

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/we-should-be-ashamed-our-legal-system-failed-1754809.html

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/courts/he-should-never-be-let-out-of--jail-say-parents-1754810.html

The coverage of Gerald Barry`s Court Appearance yesterday really serves to reinforce the extent to which the Irish State has become detached from those whom it depends upon gor it`s continued existance.

The Gardai would appear to have performed to the absolute limits of their powers in attempting to keep what can only be described as a human abberation off the streets of this country.

Yet,it appears that their best efforts were doomed to failure by a deadly conspiracy centred around a hide-bound courts system and social-support system almost totally geared towards supporting and enhancing a criminals chances of staying at large to prey on those whom he sees as fodder for his desires.

Manuela Riedo was just that fodder for this individual,and as mentioned in one of the Independent`s pieces,the fact that Gerald Barry will most likely be back on Irish streets whilst still in his 40`s should be terrifying any parent of young children who are now mere toddlers.

It`s easy to brush off stuff such as is carried in today`s papers,but what we read today is FACT....cold unpalatable FACT in relation to the depravity which some Human Beings can descend to with seeming ease.

Mr and Mrs Riedo once gazed down upon their Manuela as an infant and wondered what the world was going to bring to their baby,they had little idea that even at that time,her eventual murderer was already progressing on the path which would lead to such suffering and awful death for their baby.

Make no bones about it,Gerald Barry in any reasonable persons opinion cannot be considered a safe person to countenance EVER being allowed roam our country freely...BUT....If unchallenged,that is exactly what awaits US in a few short years when the mists of time have dulled the memory and eroded the sense of anger,shame and betrayal which many feel at how this individual was ALLOWED to practice and prepare over several years to eventually destroy an innocent family`s lives.

It is a telling situation,aptly illustrating modern "Official Ireland",that Manuela Riedo`s parents were not made aware of Barry`s Court appearance yesterday.

"Official Irelands" systems are now totally focused on Mr Barry`s physical,emotional and phsycological wellbeing with no expense being spared to cater for those needs all the way up to His release date.

Once Manuela Riedo was pronounced Life Extinct the Irish State had no further interest in Her or her Parents,they were relegated to the position of "interested observers" with no more rights than somebody walking in off the street.

Hans-Peter and Arlette Riedo may be foreign,but they are the template for God knows how many more Parents now living in this State who somewhat gullibly believe that the State will protect them and theirs....as this case has so clearly illustrated..... IT WILL NOT !

If it were up to me,I would nail a copy of the Manuela Riedo/Gerald Barry case transcript to the door of the Supreme Court for every member of that Court to study each time they are asked,by some silky-smooth Senior Counsel to further extend the provisions of Bail to yet another client arraigned on serious charges,even when senior Gardai express their opposition.

Many years ago,one of the UK`s most senior Judges kept a roll of toilet paper on the bench in front of him,to remind him of his human status....maybe it`s about time something similar was required of our Judiciary too ?

Alek, first off I agree that people like him do not deserve to be on our streets.

However, he was convicted of his earlier crimes and sentenced. He was allowed out on bail as the rules that are there say that he was entitled to it. Future crimes cannot be predicted.

There was no way to stop him from attacking and killing Manuela Riedo even though he was identified as a suspect in the earlier rape. This is shown by the fact he was not charged until 2008, after the killing of Manuela. This would be down to the fact that evidence in the first case had to be examinied to forensically link him with the crime because he was not admitting to it. Forensics do not work in the real world like they do in CSI and similar shows.

Also, why should the parents of Manuela Riedo be made aware that the person who was responsible for the death of their daughter be made aware of another court case he is appearing in? That case has nothing to do with them.

Finally, when he comes out of prison he will be subject to the provisions of section 26 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007 meaning that he will be subject to monitoring. This act has strenghtened the supervision of offenders on their release from prison. I believe the first offenders that this will apply to will be released this year.

ART6

foreign wrote: »

Alek, first off I agree that people like him do not deserve to be on our streets.

However, he was convicted of his earlier crimes and sentenced. He was allowed out on bail as the rules that are there say that he was entitled to it. Future crimes cannot be predicted.

There was no way to stop him from attacking and killing Manuela Riedo even though he was identified as a suspect in the earlier rape. This is shown by the fact he was not charged until 2008, after the killing of Manuela. This would be down to the fact that evidence in the first case had to be examinied to forensically link him with the crime because he was not admitting to it. Forensics do not work in the real world like they do in CSI and similar shows.

Also, why should the parents of Manuela Riedo be made aware that the person who was responsible for the death of their daughter be made aware of another court case he is appearing in? That case has nothing to do with them.

Finally, when he comes out of prison he will be subject to the provisions of section 26 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007 meaning that he will be subject to monitoring. This act has strenghtened the supervision of offenders on their release from prison. I believe the first offenders that this will apply to will be released this year.

I can't dispute your reasoning, but.....Future crimes cannot be predicted, true, but if someone carries out a particularly horrific crime like a brutal rape, is it not conceivable that he may do so again? Should he not be incarcerated for life to ensure that he can't? In that time, if it transpires that he was not actually guilty, there is an opportunity to correct the judgment.

In this case I agree it was a tragedy that he was not proven guilty of the first crime before he committed the second, and yes, there was no way of knowing that the second crime was likely. But surely with modern psychological technology etc it might have been possible to identify that he was a risk person? I don't know. I am not an expert.

Should the parents of that poor girl be made aware of the other court case? Legally perhaps not, but that is irrelevant since the news media would reveal that comprehensively.

And when he comes out of jail we should rely on the Criminal Justice Act? Given the effect on THE LAW of the PC element (I use capitals here because in my view the law has been far too much diluted by the human rights lobby and the politicians who, for PC reasons, swam with their tide), I would rather rely on the rules of the road to protect me if I step off the pavement without bothering to look for traffic.

I dearly wish I knew the answers to these issues, but all I can say is that if I was her father I would want him to die screaming, preferably at my hands..but then I am not especially PC:(

ART6

ART6 wrote: »

I can't dispute your reasoning, but.....Future crimes cannot be predicted, true, but if someone carries out a particularly horrific crime like a brutal rape, is it not conceivable that he may do so again? Should he not be incarcerated for life to ensure that he can't? In that time, if it transpires that he was not actually guilty, there is an opportunity to correct the judgment.

The problem here is he did not admit the rape. If he did then it's likely he would have been charged, hopefully remanded in custody and if not then given harsh bail conditions. Because he didn't admit it then he could not be charged. If he could have been locked up for allegedlly raping someone how many people would be locked up after every false accusation while waiting on forensic evidence?

ART6 wrote: »

In this case I agree it was a tragedy that he was not proven guilty of the first crime before he committed the second, and yes, there was no way of knowing that the second crime was likely. But surely with modern psychological technology etc it might have been possible to identify that he was a risk person? I don't know. I am not an expert.

He wasn't proven guilty because he wasn't charged as the Guardai had to gather their evidence and await a direction from the DPP.

ART6 wrote: »

Should the parents of that poor girl be made aware of the other court case? Legally perhaps not, but that is irrelevant since the news media would reveal that comprehensively.

In cases of this nature there is usually a restriction on naming the parties involved until the case is heard.

ART6 wrote: »

And when he comes out of jail we should rely on the Criminal Justice Act? Given the effect on THE LAW of the PC element (I use capitals here because in my view the law has been far too much diluted by the human rights lobby and the politicians who, for PC reasons, swam with their tide), I would rather rely on the rules of the road to protect me if I step off the pavement without bothering to look for traffic.

Obviously it's new legislation and has not been used yet. Hopefully it works but time will tell.

ART6 wrote: »

I dearly wish I knew the answers to these issues, but all I can say is that if I was her father I would want him to die screaming, preferably at my hands..but then I am not especially PC:(

I second that.

sgthighway

I hope he gets a bit of what he did to that French Girl every day in prison.

AlekSmart

However, he was convicted of his earlier crimes and sentenced. He was allowed out on bail as the rules that are there say that he was entitled to it. Future crimes cannot be predicted.

I think part of the unease about this particular case centre`s around just how violent and dangerous a person has to be in order to attract a meaningful level of attention from the agencies of state.

This individual had been attracting Garda attention since the age of 12.
I would suspect that there are many individual Gardai in the Galway district who will have been saddened by the inevitability of this entire scenario,given this mans background and proven malicious intent.

As for the "rules that are there" regarding Bail,this is my essential point regarding the behaviour of the higher Courts in establishing and maintaining precedent......The Supreme Court MUST begin to take cogniscence of the great Public unease at how it`s decisions have allowed the noble principles behind the availibility of Bail to be turned into travesties which have resulted in AVOIDABLE deaths of innocent persons.

Also, why should the parents of Manuela Riedo be made aware that the person who was responsible for the death of their daughter be made aware of another court case he is appearing in? That case has nothing to do with them.

With respect,I think this case has EVERYTHING to do with Manuela Riedo`s parents.
In fact I think it cuts directly to the core of the advances in Victim Support which were being wrung slowly and painfully slow from the Irish Judicial proces.
I would suggest that treating Manuela Riedo`s parents as if they were now just two more satisfied customers of the Irish Courts Service is if nothing else,morally repugnant.

The decision to cease its involvement with the Riedo family illustrates clearly the States priorities when it comes to Crime and Punishment.
It is not necessary to focus on the Manuela Riedo murder to get a feel for this.

A quick trawl through the Court Reports on any given day will reveal the litanies of multiple previous convictions,probation reports,juvenile liason schemes and,of course Bail in all of its forms.
Equally,one will read or hear little of the victims and their stories....but most certainly we will be made fully aware of the extenuating circumstances which the State appear fully prepared to accept as excuses for the most barbaric behaviour

I would rather rely on the rules of the road to protect me if I step off the pavement without bothering to look for traffic.

I too would share ART6`s misgivings about the level and extent of "Monitoring" which the State will be ABLE to expend on this individual WHEN he is released. :mad:

AlekSmart

If anything can be hoped for out of this dreadful case perhaps its that the sentencing Judge will pay very full attention to the words of this young French Girl.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/rape-victimrsquos-dramatic-court-plea-1831871.html

Is it possible that Judge Carney could merely interpret these words as being flippant or unworthy of his attention.....I certainly hope not !

He is not human or a man. He is a liar, a rapist and a murderer. He is one of a crazy inconceivable breed. He is a human predator. He has to be punished for what he did," she said. "Now I beg you not to let him out on the streets as many innocent lives could be broken again."

She said Barry had been responsible for "nothing but disgusting bad actions against other people".

"What can I say? I am just another person on his list. I know he doesn't feel sorry at all or even concern for what he did to me," she said.

"I always wonder how he can sleep at night. Eating, breathing, laughing, walking, reading, listening to music, thinking, and so on, without being conscious of what he did to me and others and how he has destroyed so many lives."

However,given the sense of unreal semi-sanity that surrounds our sentencing policy it is entirely possible that this man will at some mid point be following in the footsteps of other recently jailed violent men and walking free whilst still relatively young.....Fear will then surely stalk the land ?

Trojan911

OP,

As tragic and as horrendus this case is for any parent, or any person, to go through,

this is life...... I've seen it & dealt with it a few times in my past... It is not pleasant...

mike kelly

foreign wrote: »

However, he was convicted of his earlier crimes and sentenced. He was allowed out on bail as the rules that are there say that he was entitled to it. Future crimes cannot be predicted.

Barry is a well known scumbag from a family of well known scumbags. He has participated in many violent crimes, not least of which was murdering Colm Phelan for which he served only 4 years. He also blinded an elderly man.