Adrigole men withdraw conviction appeal

A CORK county councillor and his brother withdrew their appeal yesterday against their conviction for assaulting the owner of a bar in Adrigole earlier this year.

Fianna Fáil Cllr Danny Crowley, aged 46, of Faha West, Adrigole, and his brother, Michael Crowley, aged 43, of Faha Cross, Adrigole, were convicted in the District Court last May of assaulting John Hanley at The Sugar Loaf Bar, Trafrask, and of a second charge — brought under Section 6 of the Public Order Act — of engaging in threatening or abusive words or behaviour on March 5 last. They had denied the charges.

Judge James McNulty convicted both men of the Section 2 assault charge and fined them €2,000.

He marked the public order offence proved but ‘taken into consideration’.

It followed a two-day hearing during which evidence was heard from four witnesses for the prosecution, John Hanley, John Hurley, his son David Hurley and David’s wife, Kathleen.

Mr Hanley alleged Michael Crowley had pushed him against the bar, held him and raised a screwdriver above him in a dagger-like motion.

He further alleged that Danny Crowley held him by the arm or shoulder.

Danny Crowley said he went to the pub so his brother, Michael, could “remove from the premises items of a personal nature belonging to our brother, John, who had recently been manager of the premises”.

He said he had attended as an observer and peace commissioner.

But Judge McNulty said he found inconsistencies in the evidence given by Danny Crowley, and that despite the family connections between the witnesses for the prosecution, he said the court was satisfied they had not given false evidence.

At Clonakilty Circuit Court yesterday, Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin was told that the Crowley brothers were withdrawing their appeal against their convictions.