Fight broke out in housing estate in Tullamore after man struck by van

A FIGHT erupted in a Tullamore housing estate after a man was hit by a van, the recent sitting of Tullamore Court was told.

Before the court was Jamie McDonagh, 22 Church View, Tullamore, and he was charged with, on December 20 last, “committing an affray with another man, in that he and the other party used or threatened to use unlawful violence towards each other and such conduct taken together, was such as would cause a person of reasonable firmness present at said place to fear for his or another person's safety.”

The defending solicitor Donal Farrelly said his client was pleading guilty.

Sergeant Brendan Kearns told the court that on December 20 last the Gardai got a call to go to a disturbance in Church View regarding a large number of young men in the estate.

On arriving there the two Gardai saw a fight, during which punches were being thrown, taking place between McDonagh and his nephew. The defendant told the Gardaí that he had been hit with a van and that really set the fight off. There were no serious injuries.

Mr McDonagh has six previous convictions, five for road traffic offences and one for a Covid related offence.

“He is not a person,” said the defending solicitor, "who has ever been involved in this type of incident before. He is 28 years of age and is married. My client has taken a certain approach, a positive approach to this case. I would ask you to please approach this leniently."

Judge Andrew Cody convicted and fined €300.