TD’s son hit over head with bottle three times, court told

A FIANNA Fáil TD’s son was hit three times with a bottle after he went to help his father during incidents near a pub more than two years ago, Clonmel Circuit Court heard yesterday.

The trial of South Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath heard a statement given by his son, Edmund, to gardaí in August of 2006, in which he said he left the pub in the village of Newcastle, to find a group of youths standing in front of a car in which his father was sitting.

Some of the group near the car had earlier shouted abuse such as “look at all those c**ts down there” and “look at all the hard men” at Edmund McGrath and some friends who were sitting outside the local pub, according to the statement.

Mattie McGrath, 50 of Garrencasey, Newcastle, is pleading not guilty to committing violent disorder, assaulting Timothy Cleere, 19, causing him harm, and a breach of the peace. The allegations resulted from incidents on the night of August 13/14, 2006.

Five co-accused, including Edmund McGrath, of Garrencasey, Newcastle, deny violent disorder and assault causing harm.

Day seven of the case heard statements from Edmund McGrath and Anthony O’Dwyer.

According to Edmund McGrath, he and others were sitting in Nugent’s pub on the night a vintage car rally had taken place in the village of Newcastle, when O’Dwyer got a phone call from Mattie McGrath. “Your father’s in trouble. We’ll go down,” O’Dwyer said.

Both of them said in their statements that Mr Cleere hit Edmund McGrath over the head three times with a glass bottle when they went down the street to help Mattie McGrath, who was sitting in the passenger seat of a friend’s car. Mr Cleere, Declan Hoare and Eric Reith were standing in front of the car, according to Edmund McGrath’s statement.

He said that, after the bottle was smashed over his head, he was bleeding and “feeling concussed”.

In his statement he denied that it was he who had hit Mr Cleere with a bottle.

“I only pushed him away when he came towards me with the bottle.”

O’Dwyer, in his statement, said that Mattie McGrath was “frantic” on the phone when he rang them in the pub.

Garda Michael Fraher told the court that he called to Mr Cleere’s home on September 22 to put the allegations to him, and Mr Cleere denied hitting Edmund McGrath and having a bottle in his hand.

The other four accused, along with Mattie McGrath and his son, are O’Dwyer of Garrencasey, Newcastle; James Lonergan of 28 Liam Lynch Terrace, Newcastle; Christopher Cullinan of 7 Liam Lynch Terrace, Newcastle; and Jason Aherne of 11 Liam Lynch Terrace, Newcastle. Cullinan is also accused of assaulting Mr Reith.

The prosecution has finished its case and the trial will resume next Tuesday in front of Judge Donagh McDonagh and a jury.