Garda in ‘unbelievable’ pain when kicked in face at Halloween bonfire

A garda has told a trial she suffered “unbelievable” pain after getting a kick in the face at a Halloween bonfire and then rang for help as she was afraid for her colleagues’ safety.

Gda Helena Power was giving evidence on the second day of the trial of a man accused of assaulting her and causing her serious harm at Bianconi Drive in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, on Oct 31, 2008.

Andrew Freaney, aged 24, of 22 Elm Park, Clonmel, denies the charge.

Clonmel Circuit Court heard yesterday there was a “riotous” scene at the bonfire after gardaí tried to arrest Mr Freaney’s then-14-year-old brother, who was “highly intoxicated” and unsteady on his feet.

People in a crowd of up to 40 or 50 threw items such as beer cans, bottles, and fireworks at gardaí, the court heard.

Gda Power said she arrived on the scene with Sgt Thomas O’Halloran and another garda, while Supt Eunan Dolan and Sgt Tom O’Dwyer were already present.

At first she saw Andrew Freaney drinking from a bottle of whiskey so she approached him and asked for the bottle.

She gave him a direction to leave the area and he did so. His younger brother was on the scene, “shouting and very aggressive and highly intoxicated” and Gda Power said she thought he was going to fall into the bonfire.

Gda Donal Cashman told the boy they were going to bring him home and the 14-year-old told them to “fuck off”.

The crowd started shouting “that we were attacking the young fella”, Gda Power recalled, and she told them they just wanted to take him home for his own safety.

While the gardaí tried to arrest the boy, his older brother, Andrew Freaney, started punching Sgt O’Halloran “viciously into the face”. She flicked out her baton and “started hitting Andrew Freaney to get him to stop” because she was afraid he would “do some serious damage” to her colleague.

Mr Freaney then let go of Sgt O’Halloran, “turned around and kicked me straight up into the face”, said Gda Power. She fell backwards and could not see at all, Gda Power told the court.

Her superintendent helped her up and to the patrol car. “I was in shock, the pain was unbelievable. I was just in a panic. I was afraid for the other lads who were there because there was only five of us.”

Gda Power rang Gda Eoin Clifford and asked for assistance.

Sgt Tom O’Dwyer told the court he saw Andrew Freaney assaulting Sgt O’Halloran and, when Gda Power tried to stop him, “he turned around... one boot, he got Gda Power into the face.” The garda immediately fell to the ground, he said.

Gda Clifford, who was in the patrol van which brought Andrew Freaney to the garda station after the accused was arrested, said he heard Mr Freaney saying: “I’ll admit it, I kicked Helena in the face,” as he walked from the van to the custody area.

The trial heard that Gda Power suffered fractures to the bones around her right eye-socket and needed surgery to correct double vision which she sustained after being kicked.

The trial continues today.