Shoppers take cover as family ‘throw bottles of wine’ in row with others

Wheelchair users and elderly people were caught up in the crossfire at a busy Ennis shopping centre as bottles of wine flew through the air, a court has heard.

At Ennis District Court, Garda Michael Daniels described the mid-morning pre-Christmas panic at the Ennis shopping centre which was put on lockdown mode as two families confronted each other in the centre’s main foyer.

In court, three members of the Delaney family, two members of the Keenan family, along with two juveniles, appeared in relation to being charged with affray and engaging in insulting and abusive behaviour at the shopping centre.

Outlining the alleged facts behind the incident that took place around 11am at the Francis Street centre on December 18, Garda Daniels said that “the very strong CCTV footage shows the wine bottles being thrown in the foyer and missing persons in wheelchairs who were there in the main hallway at the time”.

Garda Daniels said that during the incident 10 bottles of wine — with a combined value of €99.25 — were thrown by members of the Delaney family at the Keenan family.

Garda Daniels said after members of the Delaney family entered the shopping centre, alleged assaults took place between members of the Delaney and Keenan families.

Garda Daniels said after arriving at the scene: “I observed James Delaney, Ann Delaney along with a juvenile take bottles of wine from the Tesco off-licence and throw them at James Keenan Sr, James Keenan Jr, and a juvenile”.

He said he immediately intervened and two arrests were made in the foyer.

“What is very concerning about this incident is that it was one week before Christmas and there was a lot of elderly people and shoppers in the shopping centre who had to take evasive action to avoid injury due to bottles of wine being thrown in the foyer.”

Garda Daniels said that CCTV also shows James Keenan Jnr having a hurley and a juvenile having a hockey stick.

“The basic picture is that on one side of the shopping centre was the Keenan family, and on the other side of the shopping centre was the Delaney family, and bottles of wine were coming down on the Keenans.”

The garda said during the incident, “for the safety of patrons, every shop had to be closed down and shutters pulled down and bystanders had to be taken in.”

Garda Daniels said the investigation of the incident “was fast-tracked because of the seriousness of it and what people one week before Christmas were subjected to in the shopping centre.”

After hearing an outline of the State prosecution case, Judge Patrick Durcan said that he was declining jurisdiction in the case.

As a result, those before the court will now go before the circuit court, where they will be open to higher jail terms if convicted.

In the case, James Keenan Jr, aged 18, and James Keenan Sr, aged 40, both at 30 Childers Road, Cloughleigh, Ennis, Co Clare, Ann Marie Delaney, aged 26, of Ashbrook Manor, Moynehall, Cavan; Ann Delaney, aged 45, of Waterpark Heights, Ennis, James Delaney, aged 27, of Gordon Drive, Cloughleigh, Ennis, along with two juveniles, are all charged with affray, where they are accused of using or threatening to use unlawful violence against others.

They are also all charged with engaging in threatening and abusive behaviour with the intent to causing a breach of the peace.

Inspector Tom Kennedy said an extensive Book of Evidence is required and Judge Durcan remanded all seven on bail to re-appear before Ennis District Court for the serving of the book to May 14.