This article is from page 14 of the 2007-07-17 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
FOUR Ennis men accused of violent disorder on the night of an ear-biting incident, have been found not guilty, on direction of the judge.
William Fox (24), Hermitage; Clinton Keane (24), Castlewood Park; Michael McCarthy (25), Wa- tery Road and Scott Hennessy (19), Waterpark Court, had all pleaded not guilty to the charge, at Market Square, Ennis, on March 18, 2005.
Counsel for the State, Stephen
Coughlan said it would be alleged that Mr Browne and Keane began to fight, at around 12.45 am. He said Keane was assisted by Mr McCarthy, Mr Hennessy and Mr Fox.
“During the course of that incident Mr Browne remembers his ear be- ing chewed. When the incident had finished, William Fox followed him around and said, ‘I’m sorry’ and handed him his ear. His ear had been severed,” said Mr Coughlan.
He told the jury that violent disor- der amounted to three or more peo-
ple using unlawful violence simulta- neously.
Simon Flanagan, who had been so- cialising with Mr Browne that night, recalled a “melee breaking out,” where “an awful lot” of people were present.
“Gary got a good hiding, like a football on the street. | made an at- tempt to go over, but I was pushed back out of the way, by William Fox,” he said.
“Gary was in an awtul state. He took a savage beating. It was as it
sounds. It was disgusting. He was hammered,” he said.
Keane’s_ barrister Mark Nicho- las, in his cross-examination of Mr Browne, said, “You did meet him in Sullie’s pub. You pushed him first and he pushed you back and ye were put out.” Mr Browne said, “That was the end of it.”
Mr Nicholas added, “You wanted to have a go at Clinton Keane after that.”” Mr Browne said he would have no problem having a “one-on-one” welsemebneee
Mr Browne said he was “absolutely drunk off my head” on the night, “but they had no right to do what they did to me.”
Barrister Lorcan Connolly, who represented Mr McCarthy, said Mr Browne’s recollection of the night was “bad, because of the amount of drink” he had consumed. Mr Browne disputed this.
After a legal submission in the ab- sence of the jury, Judge Sean O Don- nabhain recalled the jury and direct- ed them to find all four not guilty.