Man jailed for ‘passionate’ kiss on girl, 14

A WEXFORD man was declared a sex offender and sentenced to 18 months in jail yesterday for an “illicit, passionate” kiss on a 14-year-old girl.

Nicholas Barry, aged 31, was convicted in May at the Central Criminal Court of sexually assaulting the girl, but not guilty of raping her on November 25, 2006.

Barry, of Corach Avenue, Wellingtonbridge, had pleaded not guilty to both charges. He had told gardaí that “all that happened was that ‘I shifted’ her”, but admitted he knew she was only 14 at the time.