Barry started out as a young 'scally' who, together with his best friend Terry, was always looking for easy ways to make money. He was the apple of his mother Sheila's eye but didn't get on with his father Bobby who was eventually revealed to be his stepfather. After Sheila's rape and Barry's brother Damon's murder, Barry developed into a much more violent character and a successful businessman, opening Brookside Parade. When Sheila married Billy Corkhill and got caught up in the feud between the Corkhills and the man who had killed Billy's brother Frankie, it was Barry who stepped in to sort the situation out by issuing a few threats.

After Billy and Sheila departed, Barry came into conflict with Billy's brother Jimmy who was squatting in one of Barry's shops. Barry set fire to the shop and later offered Jimmy a job at his new nightclub, supposedly because of Jimmy being 'family'. Barry planned to torch the club for the insurance, but Jimmy caught him in the act and Barry told him about setting fire to his shop previously. Jimmy attacked Barry leading to Barry becoming a suspect when Jimmy was run over. However the real culprit was revealed to be Barry's business partner, and Barry and Jimmy became friends of a sort.

In his personal life Barry had relationships with his stepsister Tracy Corkhill, who aborted Barry's baby, and with his best friend Terry's wife who Barry later confessed to murdering. Barry left in 1994.