Men made farmer feel ‘revengeful’

A Longford pig farmer who denies falsely imprisoning two men said he was “revengeful” after being knocked to the ground and directed the men to recite the Our Father to “reflect” on what they had done.

Donal Connaughton, aged 54, said he wanted the men to strip to “humiliate” them. He told them to kneel and recite the Our Father, to “instil in them what it says in that prayer not to trespass”. “I was defending my property in the best way I knew,” he said.

Mr Connaughton faces eight charges, while his wife Margaret, aged 52, faces six charges, arising out of an incident on Apr 29, 2010. These include false imprisonment, threatening to kill or harm, and assault.