This article is from page 21 of the 2011-02-01 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 21 JPG
A MAN was fined € 1,000 for his role in an assault that took place in Ennis town centre.
Kevin Conroy (22), with an address at 48, The Punch Bowl, Ennis Road, Gort, appeared before a sitting of Ennis District Court last Wednesday.
Mr Conroy was charged with assault and a public order offence arising out of an incident at Abbey Street, Ennis. The court heard that Mr Conroy had no previous criminal convictions.
The court was told that on the night in question, Gardaí parked on Abbey Street observed the accused pushing another man up against a wall and striking him in the face.
Inspector John Galvin told the court that when Gardaí approached Mr Conroy, he was ‘quite drunk’ and ‘very disorderly’.
Insp Galvin said that the accused had resisted Garda efforts to restrain him. He said that Mr Conroy had met the other man as both of them left a nightclub.
Solicitor for the accused, Billy Loughnane, told the court that his client was “very sorry” and that he had too much to drink on the night in question.
Mr Loughnane said that his client had been on serious medication at the time and that this had ‘caused him to act out of character’.
Mr Loughnane said his client was a very hardworking man who worked as an agri-machinery driver.
Judge Joseph Mangan said that it had been suggested by gardaí that there had been ‘existing issues’ between the accused Mr Conroy and the other man’s family.
Insp Galvin said that while the defendant didn’t know the man, he knew his brother.
Judge Mangan fined Mr Conroy € 1,000 and fixed a bond in the event of an appeal.