No sign Barry granddad was attacked, initial report finds
A photograph of the late Paddy Barry, grandfather of magician Keith Barry
Wednesday September 23 2009
INITIAL findings from a post-mortem examination on the body of grandfather Paddy Barry, who died shortly after a burglary at his home, show no evidence that he was attacked.
Mr Barry (82), whose grandson is magician Keith Barry, collapsed unconscious after the break-in at his house in Mount Sion Avenue in Waterford city last Wednesday night and died early yesterday morning.
Gardai pledged last night that they were deploying the resources of a murder inquiry in their investigation into the burglary and subsequent events.
Further tests will now be carried out by assistant State pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster to determine the cause of death.
But the initial tests, carried out yesterday evening at Waterford Regional Hospital, suggest the injuries he sustained were consistent with a fall.
Mr Barry was in the house when a burglar used a blunt-headed instrument, probably a chisel, to force the front door.
The break-in set off an alarm and the thief ran off with Mr Barry's credit card and pension card.
Mr Barry managed to telephone the gardai to report the incident but gardai were last night trying to establish if he had confronted the burglar before the thug fled.
His death has caused widespread shock and revulsion and his family has called for greater protection for householders and the elderly.
Aggravated
Last night gardai were investigating the possibility that Mr Barry could have fallen and hit his head in the minutes after the break-in at his house, rather than suffering a beating as was initially reported.
Garda Supt Chris Delaney confirmed that the investigation into the aggravated burglary at the terraced house "has the exact same status of a murder investigation", with over 50 officers involved in the inquiry.
"This was an attack on Mr Barry's home, a very serious offence, a very serious attack on an elderly, vulnerable gentleman and we want to find out who did it and are determined to do that," he said.
One of Paddy Barry's four sons, Fergus, said yesterday that he was "angry" about what happened to his father. "To see this happen to a man who has worked all his life and was enjoying a quiet retirement, happy to see his kids grow up and his grandchildren grow up -- there is an anger, that petty crime could be allowed get out of hand."
A recent spate of burglaries around the terraced street in the city had led Paddy Barry to fear a break-in at his own home, although he had a number of locks on his door and an alarm.
"We thought he was secure but, unfortunately, he wasn't," said his son yesterday. "There are people out there who have no fear of the law and no respect for those who worked for society."
He called on Justice Minister Dermot Ahern to introduce legislation, as soon as possible, which would protect elderly people from crime and make it easier for householders to defend themselves in their own homes.
- CONOR KANE and TOM BRADY
