Riedo killer given life for rape

The Galway man responsible for the murder for Swiss teenager Manuela Riedo has been given two life sentences for the rape of another woman.

Father-of-two Gerald Barry (29) from Rosan Glas, Rahoon, attacked and raped the French student seven weeks before he killed MsRiedo.

Imposing the maximum sentence for two counts of rape, Mr Justice Paul Carney said Barry had a “proclivity and propensity to kill and rape again given an opportunity”.

"I'm satisfied that given the facts of the offence, the effect on the victim and the accused's continuing danger to society . . . they are exceptional circumstances which justify the imposition of the maximum penalty, notwithstanding the plea of guilty," he said when sentencing Barry at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Galway.

He said there was no "tunnel of hope" in sentencing for Barry. "This is a concept which was developed in gentler times before the scourge of drugs made some people mindless, wholly irrational and evil," the judge explained.

Barry dragged the French student into GAA grounds in Mervue where he forced her at knifepoint to undress. He proceeded to orally and anally rape her. He put what she felt was a knife under her throat, and also threatened to kill her.

Mr Justice Carney described Barry's criminal record, which included not only the murder of Ms Riedo but violent disorder causing the death of a man 13 years ago, as a "quite extraordinary list of previous convictions".

Barry, who was wearing a grey top, did not react when the judge sentenced him.

The life sentence given for the rape, coupled with the life sentence he is already serving for murder, means Barry could spend the rest of his life in jail.

Barry was under investigation for the rape and was out on bail in relation to an assault on his ex-partner when he killed Ms Riedo on October 8th 2007.

The rape of the French woman occurred in the early hours of August 16th, 2007. Later that night he attacked his ex-partner who complained to gardaí.

When gardaí realised that Barry had been in the vicinity of where the French woman was raped, he was then questioned about that attack.

His ex-partner gave a description of the clothes he was wearing similar to that given by his French victim. Gardaí did a search of Barry's parents' house and recovered a blood-stained top. It was December before DNA evidence confirmed that he had been the rapist.

Barry appeared in court on August 18th in connection with the attack on his ex-partner. He was granted bail despite Garda objections. On October 8th, he killed Ms Riedo.

Barry was in custody in Castlerea Prison awaiting trial for her murder when DNA samples confirmed that semen found on the French victim's underwear matched his.

He did not appear in court in connection with the rape until April 2008. He later pleaded guilty to the charge following his conviction in March this year for the murder of Ms Riedo.

The now 23-year-old French student described Barry as a "human predator" in her victim impact statement, which was read out in court earlier this week. "He is not a human or a man. He is a liar, a rapist and a murderer," she said.

She described Barry as perpetrating "disgusting, bad actions on other people" and asked: "How can he sleep at night, be living, breathing, walking, laughing, and listening to music?"

She said she was surprised to be still alive and often asks herself why he spared her. He had shown little remorse for his actions, the student said, and she begged that he never be released from jail.

Barry has been trouble with the law all his life. One of nine children, his mother had a drink problem though his father held down a job, according to Detective Inspector Gerald Roche from Galway Garda station.

All four of his brothers had been in trouble with the law though not to the extent that he had been, Det Insp Roche added. In 1996, Barry was jailed for five years for violent disorder causing death arising out of an unprovoked attack on Roscrea man Colm Phelan.

He also blinded a pensioner in an attack which saw him spend two years in jail.

Superintendent Tom Curley from Galway Garda station said he was "delighted" that they had finally managed to have Barry jailed for “these shocking crimes”.

"Our thoughts are with his victims and their families at this stage," he said.

"For the people of Galway, it is good to have this man behind bars. Over a three-month period this man perpetuated vicious crimes, multiple rapes and the murder of Manuela Riedo," he said. "The crimes have had an awful impact on the families and friends of the two victims.”