This article is from page 13 of the 2012-10-09 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 13 JPG
A MAN has been found guilty of the intimidation of two witnesses who gave evidence at a trial in Clare last year.
At Clare Circuit Criminal Court yesterday, Martin Joyce (22), with addresses at 113 Dun na hInse, Ennis and 2 St Patrick’s Mews, Clarecastle, was found guilty by a jury of the intimidation of his brother-in-law Michael Ward and Mr Ward’s wife, Rose Ward.
He was acquitted of a charge of threatening to kill Mr Ward at Shannon Airport on May 3 2011.
The Wards had travelled to Clare from England to give evidence at an arson trial against the Mr Joyce’s brother David. David Joyce was acquitted of the charge.
It had been alleged that Mr Joyce told Mr Ward that he would never be able to come back to Shannon and that he would be shot if he gave evidence at the trial.
It was alleged that Mr Joyce also told Mr Ward that there would “guns in court waiting for him” if he gave evidence.
Mr Ward told the court that he “felt very terrified” when he saw Mr Joyce entering the arrivals hall of Shannon Airport.
Mr Ward was with his wife and two children at the time.
The jury was shown CCTV footage of the encounter between Mr Joyce and Mr Ward.
Asked about Mr Joyce’s body language on the day, Mr Ward said, “he looked ready for action.”
He said, “I just felt very terrified to be honest with you.” Rose Ward said she got a “terrible fright” when she saw Mr Joyce.
“I got very badly disturbed when I saw him,” she added. The court heard that Ms Ward went to the airport police.
She said, “I was afraid that something that was going to happen. I was afraid Martin was going to do something bad.”
Patrick O’Neill of Shannon Airport Police told the court that Ms Ward seemed “very upset” at the time.
Mr Joyce was arrested two days after the incident. When asked by gardaí why he had come to Shannon, Mr Joyce said he was bringing his child to the doctor. Mr Joyce told gardaí that Mr Ward called him names at the airport. He denied threatening his brother in law.
Counsel for the accused Pat Whyms BL said every detail of the CCTV footage vindicated Mr Joyce’s account of what happened. He said his client had urged gardaí to review the CCTV.
Mr Whyms added, “This is a man begging for the objective evidence to be shown so he can be vindicated.” He said there was no evidence that Mr Joyce had threatened Mr Ward.
Mr Whyms said there were inconsistencies in Mr Ward’s evidence.
He added, “The evidence in this case has come nowhere close to the standard of proof required.”
It took the jury 89 minutes to unanimously find Mr Joyce not guilty of threatening to kill Mr Ward but guilty of intimidation.
After a further 36 minutes of deliberation the jury unanimously found Mr Joyce guilty of the intimidation of Rose Ward.
Judge Gerard Keyes adjourned sentencing to October 16. Mr Joyce was granted bail subject to conditions.