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Laura Hutton via RollingNews.ie

Man who threatened to kill family of murdered Cork student has been jailed

He was jailed for three years suspending the last year of the sentence.

A WOMAN WHOSE 20-year-old son was murdered last year has spoken of her devastation after she received vile calls from a man who made threats to kill her family.

Kathy Blair, mother of Cameron Blair who was murdered in Cork city in January 2020, said she and her family were at home with friends when they got a threatening phone call from Noel Barry (46) of Cherry Tree Road in Cork city.

In a victim impact statement at a sentencing hearing at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, Blair detailed the threats Barry made to her family in calls on 4 September 2020.

She said that her husband received a call on his mobile from Noel Barry a man they “had never met or spoken to”.

“On that awful night we had to listen to appalling threats being made against our family. The content of the call was deeply upsetting.

“We are all in a state of shock. I have never felt afraid in my own home but that night I was terrified. Even now I can’t be alone in the house at night. What Noel subjected us to was cruelty beyond belief.

“On the call he said we would need a fire extinguisher as he was going to destroy our son Alan. Alan heard this threat as the three of us were standing listening to the call in the kitchen.

“I thought I was going to collapse and felt physically sick thinking I could lose my remaining son. As a mother I felt like a failure for not being able to protect my child against such horror.

“I often lie awake at night and vividly remember that call. It is impossible to unhear what Noel Barry said. How could you?”

Barry previously pleaded guilty to threatening to kill or cause serious harm to named members of the Blair family in nuisance calls answered by his father Noel.

The calls occurred on the evening of 4 September 2020.

Detective Inspector Daniel Colohan said that just before 11pm on the night of the offence Noel Barry rang Noel Blair in a call that lasted just over 40 seconds.

He said “You better be standing beside your wife and other son with a fire extinguisher. They will be burned.”

Barry then went on to tell the family that a Loyalist should not threaten a Republican.

Detective Inspector Colohan said that following the offence Barry made completely false accusations against the Blair family which he subsequently retracted. He claimed the Blair family had threatened him.

The Garda said that Barry had 10 previous convictions for drugs, criminal damage and possession of knives and was without a work history.

Detective Inspector Colohan stressed that Barry was “self serving” in garda interviews and kept changing his story not taking any responsibility for his actions.

He eventually admitted that he had contacted the family whilst he was under the influence of alcohol and prescription drugs. Barry claimed to have taken a weeks supply of prescription tablets on the night of the offence.

Detective Inspector Colohan said Barry wiped his phone following the incident. At one point he claimed that somebody else may have made the calls on his phone.

At a previous court hearing it emerged that Barry made four phone calls to the family of Blair in September of last year, two of which were recorded.

The court was told that that threats were allegedly made to Noel Blair and that he was told to “f**k off back to England”.

Blair informed gardaí that the caller warned that his family “would never be safe”. He said that the caller also told him to get his “Loyalist friends” so that they could “sort this out on the streets of Shankill Road”.

The threatening charges were contrary to Section Five of the Non Fatal Offences against the Person Act.

At today’s sentencing hearing defence barrister, Sinead Behan, said that her client had a history of depression and a long standing drink problem. She said he had submitted a letter of apology to the Blair family and was deeply remorseful for his actions.

Judge Sean O’Donnabhain said it was a case of “callous cruelty”. He added that remorse was for Barry a “tide that comes and goes”.

He jailed him for three years suspending the last year of the sentence.

Meanwhile, the murder of Cameron Blair sent shockwaves through the community in Bandon Road last year after he was fatally stabbed at a house party in the city.

The CIT student died in Cork University Hospital (CUH) after he was stabbed in the neck at a house party in Bandon Road in Cork city on 16 January 2020.

Cameron was laid to rest in Kilbeg cemetery outside Bandon town.

A youth was jailed in connection with his murder. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a review of his sentence in 2032.

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    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mary Hinge
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    Apr 28th 2014, 4:35 PM

    Apparently Microsoft have contacted all five users of internet explorer to warn them…

    489
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    Mute Tom Keating
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    Apr 28th 2014, 8:03 PM

    If it was only that simple, 25% of the world browser users use IE versions 6 to 11, so this is a big deal and a big impact.

    37
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    Mute Anthony Byrne
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    Apr 29th 2014, 6:58 AM

    The usual hype. Its not like ‘all of a sudden’ there is a security flaw in IE version x y or z. There have been countless flaws in every version since for ever. Let there be no panic, no ‘serious problems’.

    4
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    Mute Were Jammin
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    Apr 28th 2014, 4:53 PM

    A quick workaround for XP users still using IE.

    1. Install chrome or firefox

    2. Slap yourself for not ditching IE sooner.

    389
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    Mute Pedro
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    Apr 28th 2014, 4:44 PM

    Windows 8 fails to hit expected targets.

    Microsoft ends support for XP.

    Shortly after, “massive” security issue found in IE.

    Microsoft state that they will be issuing a patch to fix the security issue however XP users will be left vulnerable.

    All seems a bit too convenient to me..

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    Mute SilentFugitive
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    Apr 28th 2014, 8:18 PM

    You have my vote Pedro.

    36
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    Mute Ali Fortune
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    Apr 28th 2014, 4:33 PM

    People still use IE?

    155
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    Mute Pedro
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    Apr 28th 2014, 4:45 PM

    Bank of Ireland’s Business Online tool only works with IE.

    115
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    Mute Tony Canning
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    Apr 28th 2014, 4:48 PM

    The most recent IE is actually good.

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    Mute ƒR()§†H@X
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    Apr 28th 2014, 5:34 PM

    Apparently nearly 1 in 10 users still use it
    http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_stats.asp

    20
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    Mute Ian Mac Eochagáin
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    Apr 28th 2014, 5:35 PM

    Our production system at work only works with IE, and version 9 at that.

    29
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    Mute Joe Brennan
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    Apr 28th 2014, 8:00 PM

    It’s closer to 1 in 5 that still use IE. The stats you posted are only for users of the w3 schools site who would generally be more tech savvy

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    Mute B9xiRspG
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    Apr 28th 2014, 9:38 PM

    If software is written that only works on IE then it’s bad development and laziness on the coder part

    17
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    Mute Virtual Architect
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    Apr 29th 2014, 12:50 AM

    I stopped using BOIs business internet service because it was so appalling. I have to go to a bank machine or make a phone call to find out my bank balance. As for internet explorer- it is only used by people who don’t know much about security.

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    Mute Dave Davis
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    Apr 29th 2014, 3:55 AM

    Agreed. Bank of Ireland Business On Line is the most atrocious app online. It’s an absolute embarrassment and breaks every usability standard in existence. It looks and acts like it was whipped up in a 4th class Web design class. They charge a hefty fee for the privilege too. The only reason I still use it is because it’s the only bank that let’s you wire money to Serbia believe it or not. I hate not having a choice.

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    Mute Frank Carty
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    Apr 29th 2014, 8:39 AM

    On the contrary Jim, the opposite is true. Its very easy to develop site for FF and Chrome, compared to earlier versions of IE

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    Mute Marc Keegan
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    Apr 29th 2014, 5:03 PM

    I agree with Frank – It’s difficult to get a site to display correctly on IE and requires a lot more effort than FF or Chrome – It takes time, patience and a lot of experience to get a modern design to perform as intended on IE. (Also requires tears and a jade monkey paw).

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    Mute Leopold Dedalus
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    Apr 28th 2014, 4:35 PM

    “The security flaw puts almost all Internet Explorer users at risk”

    Those 30 people must be very worried

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    Mute Frank
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    Apr 28th 2014, 4:37 PM

    A deliberate move by Microsoft to scaremongering operators of XP to upgrade to more NSA hackable and imposing systems with built in cameras and back door snooping technology. It will be a long time before I leave from XP.

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    Mute Tony Canning
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    Apr 28th 2014, 4:48 PM

    Or just move to linux.

    57
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    Mute Glen
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    Apr 28th 2014, 5:21 PM

    Frank
    Out of curiosity, and I’m not being a smartass but do you cover your webcam with tape.

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    Mute Jarlath Murphy
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    Apr 28th 2014, 5:25 PM

    Doesn’t everyone?

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    Mute ged_star
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    Apr 28th 2014, 5:34 PM

    Frank where exactly did you get this info

    “NSA hackable and imposing systems with built in cameras and back door snooping technology”

    Never heard such rubbish in the last 15 years that I’ve been working in IT

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    Mute Glen
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    Apr 28th 2014, 5:50 PM

    ged
    I have been in IT less time than you and I can say without reservation that Franks comment has merit.

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    Mute Vocal Outrage
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    Apr 28th 2014, 6:08 PM

    Are you guys off your rockers? XP has probably been compromised in terms of privacy just as much as every other OS

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    Mute ged_star
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    Apr 28th 2014, 6:35 PM

    Glen and Frank

    Where is your proof???

    I would be really interested in reading more info about “NSA hackable and imposing systems with built in cameras and back door snooping technology”

    So please post any proof that you both have and I will gladly read

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    Mute Frank
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    Apr 28th 2014, 7:26 PM

    Glen … I don’t need to … Dell 6400 was made long before build in web cams.

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    Mute Tony Canning
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    Apr 28th 2014, 7:33 PM

    ged_star – what isolated corner of the web have you been living in? Habbo Hotel??

    https://www.eff.org/nsa-spying/timeline

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    Mute Frank
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    Apr 28th 2014, 7:33 PM

    ged_star … I guess you must be still working on Windows 98 with MMX technology hardware.

    Dell have been operating outsourced (India) customer service using remote access to PC Systems for the last 15 years.

    This is quite old news….

    Broadcom has just rolled out a chip for smart phones that promises to indicate location ultra-precisely, possibly within a few centimeters, vertically and horizontally, indoors and out.

    The unprecedented accuracy of the Broadcom 4752 chip results from the sheer breadth of sensors from which it can process information. It can receive signals from global navigation satellites, cell-phone towers, and Wi-Fi hot spots, and also input from gyroscopes, accelerometers, step counters

    http://www.broadcom.com/products/GPS/GPS-Silicon-Solutions/BCM4752

    http://www.nowtheendbegins.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/broadcom-4752-rfid-microchip.jpg

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    Mute Glen
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    Apr 28th 2014, 5:16 PM

    The cost of upgrading to a different OS for businesses alone would be astronomical on the wide scale. People like XP their comfortable with it I can’t see that changing anytime soon.

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    Mute Graeme O'Connor
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    Apr 28th 2014, 6:33 PM

    They did on a mass scale when moving from Windows 95 to XP and there was no complaints about the cost then. If they’re that worried about the cost then they should move to a Unix based OS which can be used for free.

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    Mute Alan Lawlor
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    Apr 28th 2014, 9:25 PM

    Win95 to XP was an improvement.
    Vista and Win8 are arguably not (Win 7 was/is good imho)
    Not everybody is tech-savvy enough to replace Windows with Linux, but that is not necessary.
    For some years, many people on XP have been switching for IE browser to Chrome or Firefox, hence IEs dwindling market share, even amongst non-mobile and non-tablet platforms. This is because there were no longer IE upgrades for xp users, therefore no support for HTML5 and CSS3 increasingly used on many websites.
    So, quick fix is to change broswer not whole OS. You also have less vulnerabilities and quicker patches when they do arise.

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    Mute Glen
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    Apr 28th 2014, 11:40 PM

    Alan
    Vista is a hybrid of XP & 7
    7 is a great OS as is XP but 8 is more touchscreen based. Linux has merit. Their disc defrag is the biggest difference as far as I can see. Personally I use Mozilla for browsing I just can’t see eye to eye with Chrome.

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    Mute Mary Kavanagh
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    Apr 28th 2014, 5:46 PM

    Use Mozilla – unless you bank with BOI.

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    Mute Alan Lawlor
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    Apr 28th 2014, 9:17 PM

    internet explorer IS mozilla

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    Mute Mary Kavanagh
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    Apr 28th 2014, 9:20 PM

    Firefox then!

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    Mute Barry O'Brien
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    Apr 28th 2014, 9:47 PM

    No it’s not, Alan. Firefox is part of the Mozilla Foundation. IE is Microsoft. You may think this because it has the word Mozilla in its User Agent string, but nearly all browsers have that for legacy compatibility reasons.

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    Mute Clau Mc C
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    Apr 28th 2014, 6:11 PM

    IE is widely used in enterprise, chrome and Firefox are more for the end/home user

    11
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    Mute David Jordan
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    Apr 28th 2014, 8:36 PM

    The only country that has to use IE is South Korea, the government there made it a legal requirement to encrypt shopping and banking websites. However, the security software legally required uses Microsoft’s ActiveX scripting language, which is only available in Internet Explorer. Ironically, ActiveX is horribly insecure.

    “South Koreans use Internet Explorer: It’s the law”

    http://www.zdnet.com/south-koreans-use-internet-explorer-its-the-law-7000022827/

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    Mute Thors Big Hammer
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    Apr 28th 2014, 4:47 PM

    Just visit trust worthy sites and you will be fine.

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    Mute Neal Ireland
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    Apr 28th 2014, 5:44 PM

    Which ones are those?

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    Mute Onlyblowingsmoke
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    Apr 28th 2014, 5:40 PM

    What few of you seem to realise or know is that nearly all atm machines in Ireland still use this now security flaud software. Can any one provide information on this, are the banks likely to upgrade, at what cost to the already overcharged customers

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    Mute John McDonnell
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    Apr 28th 2014, 6:27 PM

    Most ATM’s don’t use Internet Explorer.

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    Mute Crocodylus Pontifex
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    Apr 28th 2014, 7:17 PM

    The ‘m’ stands for machine so it’s either AT machine or just ATM but never ATM machine

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    Mute Shay
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    Apr 28th 2014, 5:38 PM

    People still use laptops?

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