Michael Ferry.
A SILVER revolver owned by convicted paedophile Michael Ferry today escaped a destruction order because of its historic value.
But gardai were given permission at Glenties District Court to destroy 868 other items, mostly porn CDs and DVDs, owned by Ferry who is serving 14 years for a series of sex offences.
An application for the destruction of all the property was made by Inspector Dennis Joyce, Patsy Gallagher, solicitor for 58-year-old Ferry, said there was consent to all the property being destroyed by the gardai except the silver revolver with a five-shot capacity.
He said during all the trials of sex offences against Ferry there was never any indication that the fire-arm was used. He said: “It goes back to the War of Independence and there is historical value in it.”
Mr Gallagher said there was a suggestion that the gun could be given to a local museum. Frank Dorrian, solicitor for one of Ferry’s victims, was given assurance in court that that all the other property would be destroyed but documentary evidence and statements made to gardai would remain intact in State possession.
Judge Paul Kelly made an order giving Gardai possession of all the DVDs and CDs as well as recording equipment, computer discs and an empty pornographic DVD cover, and mobile phones, digital cameras and a silver pen with audio recording capabilities, and a small cannabis-smoking pipe. Inspector Joyce said they would be destroyed.
A decision on the silver revolver was adjourned to the next court in Glenties on February 26. Ferry’s address was given as c/o Arbour Hill Prison, where
sex offenders are held.
Ferry, whose home address is Carrickboyle, Gweedore, was not personally in court for the Garda application. Ferry is serving 14 years for raping and sexually assaulting five boys when they were aged between 10 and 17 at a school in Derrybeg, and near his home. The offences were committed between 1984 and 2005.
Ferry, a former student priest, religious teacher and school caretaker, was jailed in 2011 for offences against four of the boys and last December for offences against the fifth boy. He is due out of prison in late 2021.
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