Junior minister weeps in court as she recounts details of cow dung being thrown towards her
Anne Rabbitte at Gort District Court, sitting in Ennis.
The south Galway farmer accused of assaulting Junior Government Minister, Anne Rabbitte (FF) by throwing a bag of cow dung at her at a public meeting told Gardaí he went to the meeting “with no intention to harm anyone”.
In a prepared statement to Gardai on the public meeting at O’Sullivan’s hotel in Gort on January 4 2023 about a planned biogas plant for the town, Joseph Baldwin recalled saying before throwing the first bag of cow dung in the direction of Ciaran Cannon TD (FG) “if they are going to bring shit into the town here is some for ye".
Mr Baldwin said the first bag fell two to three feet from Mr Cannon and he threw the second bag in the direction of Ms Rabbitte and “it brushed off someone else and fell on the floor near her”.
He said that earlier that day “I went down to the farmyard and put dry cow dung into ziplock bags".
"There was no smell or odour off the bags and I made sure that they were secure," he said.
“They were very light — like a featherweight. I thought all the TDs and councillors would be at the top table where I could leave the bags in front of them.”
On why he decided to bring the bags, he said: ”On the evening in question I said to myself, ‘I have had enough’, something had to be done for them to listen and show them that it was unacceptable for the community to be treated like this. I went to that meeting with no intention to harm anyone."
Earlier, Anne Rabbitte wept in the witness box as she recounted the incident.
The Galway TD told the court that she was “picked out” by Joseph Baldwin.
“I didn’t feel safe in a public space with the people that elected me. I felt I was the most vulnerable person in the room. I felt I was being attacked. My space was invaded. We all have buffer zones but my buffer zone was totally removed.
“I defended myself as best I could. I felt that I was being struck.”
Asked why she went to the gardaí that night, she said: “There is a line and I felt it was crossed that night and no one spoke up for me and I had to speak up for myself.”
Mr Baldwin (39) of Ballyaneen, Gort denies assaulting Anne Rabbitte at the public meeting.
Ms Rabbitte said that she saw a man had flung a bag of contents towards Ciaran Cannon.
CCTV footage played to the court showed Mr Baldwin say: “Here is a bag of cow shite for you,” before throwing the bag in the direction of Mr Cannon. The bag fell at Mr Cannon's feet.
The CCTV footage showed Mr Baldwin turn and then throw a bag in the direction of Ms Rabbitte.
Ms Rabbitte said that the man “was incredibly angry, his face was red”. She said:
She added the man said to her "'I am not forgetting about you, there is one for you Rabbitte' and then he flung a bag as well.”
Solicitor for Mr Baldwin, Daragh Hassett said eight eye witnesses on the night who gave statements to the Gardai said that the bag thrown by Mr Baldwin did not hit Ms Rabbitte.
He said that Ms Rabbitte had recoiled from her statement to Gardai where she said that the bag hit her on the torso and now says she felt it hit her.
Mr Hassett said: "It is quite clear from the footage that no bag struck you at all."
Ms Rabbitte said: “I still feel it. You can’t deny me my feelings.”
Mr Hassett said Ms Rabbitte told Gardai that the bag had struck Mr Cannon and pointed out Mr Cannon had told Gardai that the bag did not hit him but instead landed at his feet.
He said that her statement to Gardai that she was struck by the bag was “inaccurate and misleading” when seen alongside the CCTV evidence which shows that the bag did not hit her.
“It is not assault," he said. At the end of the State’s case against Mr Baldwin, Mr Hassett made an application that the assault case against Mr Baldwin be dismissed.
Counsel for the State, Geri Silke BL conceded that Ms Rabbitte was incorrect to say to Gardai that the bag struck her but argued that the assault charge stood on the apprehension ground.
Mr Hassett said that Ms Rabbitte’s credibility “is shot”.
He said CCTV evidence which shows that the bags did not hit either politician only became available in January of this year — months after the DPP directed to prosecute Mr Baldwin for assault.
Mr Hassett argued that if the DPP had that footage and Ms Rabbitte’s version of events today, his client would not have been prosecuted for assault.
Judge Alec Gabbett adjourned the case to Ennis District Court on October 2 where he said he will give a ruling on the defence application to dismiss the case.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
