A FORMER SCOUT leader has pleaded guilty to over twenty counts of sexually assaulting young boy scouts over a twenty year period.

David Barry (72) of Montrose, Firgrove Gardens in Bishopstown, Cork pleaded guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to 28 charges.

27 of the charges were for sexual or indecent assault and one was for attempted sexual assault.

The case involves ten complainants, with the offences occurring at various dates from 1986 to 2008.

Barry who wore a dark suit in court, replied “Guilty, my lord” to all of the charges when he was arraigned this morning.

Barrister for the defence, Tom Creed SC, said that his client was not in the best of health. He told Judge Sean O’Donnabhain that he required a four week adjournment to facilitate the preparation of a psychological report.

He has also applied for a medical report from Barry’s GP and has been in contact with his cardiologist to receive relevant information.

State solicitor Frank Nyhan said that time would also be needed to compile victim impact statements in relation to the various complainants.

Sentencing was adjourned in the case until 25 June. Barry was remanded on continuing bail until his next court appearance.

Barry, who is a retired businessman, appeared before Cork District Court in December last year where he was charged with 26 counts of indecent or sexual assault and one count of attempted indecent assault. A twenty eighth charge was later added.

When he first was charged in December 2020 Barry told Detective Garda Duggan that he was “sorry for anyone I hurt.”

Many of the charges relate to the 1980′s and 1990′s, but some refer to dates as late as 2005 and 2008. The only reporting restriction in the case involves not naming the victims in the case.

It is claimed that the boys, who were all members of the Catholic Boys Scouts of Ireland, were aged between 12 and 16 at the time of the alleged offences at the location in Cork.