A JUDGE has asked gardaí to investigate further if a comment on the social media site Facebook or an assault was the reason behind a violent altercation at a house in Ennis last year.
Three men used weapons in the row that occurred at 57 Cahercalla Estate, Kilrush Road, Ennis on March 16 last. Two of those men – Darren Long (28) and Blaine Kearse (25) – appeared before Ennis Circuit Criminal Court for sentencing on Friday.
In March, they pleaded guilty to offences arising from the incident at Cahercalla.
Both men pleaded guilty to a charge of assault causing harm to Jamie Greene (21), who is not charged with any offence.
Mr Kearse, with an address at Ard Aóibhinn, Lissane Road, Clarecastle, pleaded guilty to the production of a hurley during the course of a dispute contrary to the firearms and offensive weapons act. He also admits damaging the front door window of a house. Mr Long, with an address at Castleview, Tiermaclane, pleaded guilty to the production of a crutch and a tyre iron during the course of a dispute. He also admits criminal damage to a door window. Detective Garda Gary Stack of Ennis Garda Station told the court the pair went to Cahercalla to confront Mr Greene at his home.
The court heard the victim and his younger brother went into the porch when a green Suzuki Jeep, driven by Mr Long pulled up outside.
Det Stack said Mr Greene picked up a hurley as Mr Kearse approached him shouting, “Come out. You picked the wrong people to f*** with”.
Mr Kearse also had a hurley. Both men swung at each other with Mr Kearse breaking the porch door.
Mr Greene received a blow to his arm and suffered a fractured wrist.
Det Stack said that just prior to the altercation, Mr Kearse told Mr Long to go back to the jeep and get a doublebarreled shotgun.
Mr Long came back from the jeep carrying an implement, later shown to be a tyre iron, hidden from Mr Greene’s view. The altercation continued with Mr Greene picking up a hurley and chasing Mr Long and Mr Kearse back to the road. As Mr Kearse attempted to evade Mr Greene, Mr Long got into the jeep and made two attempts to run over Mr Greene, the court heard.
Mr Kearse and Mr Long were later arrested and interviewed by gardaí.
Det Stack said they both alleged Jamie Greene had produced a knife.
Det Stack said CCTV footage from the house tied with Mr Greene’s version of events on the day.
When asked by gardaí about his attempt to run over Mr Greene, Mr Long said, “He was lucky I didn’t run him over”. Det Stack said Mr Long later insinuated that gardaí gave him the wrong medication in an attempt to make him talk and accused gardaí of making up stories about him.
Mr Long told gardaí the visit to Mr Greene’s house was meant as a “scare tactic”. He admitted having the tyre iron. The court heard Mr Kearse told gardaí he should never have gone to the house in the first place.
Mr Kearse told gardaí he may have “clipped” Mr Greene with the hurley. The court heard both accused have no previous convictions.
In his victim impact report, Mr Greene said the attack had a big impact in his life. He said he had to give up his job as a welder because of his injuries. He said his younger brother was afraid to be at home alone for a month after the attack. Asked about the background to the incident, Det Stack said Mr Greene would say he was attacked after he was involved in a violent assault against a friend of both accused.
Det Stack said Mr Kearse and Mr Long would say the argument started over a comment made by Mr Greene on Facebook.
Judge Gerald Keys asked the gardaí to investigate the background to the incident further.
“It seems to me there is more behind this than what the gardaí have revealed to me today”.
He adjourned sentencing to May 7.