Neighbours in court after morning fight
Tuesday March 09 2010
THE CHAIRMAN of a Residents Association, his wife, and three other people were in Carlow District Court last week to face public order charges arising from incidents at their housing estate in February last year.
Barry Nolan, Chairman of the Oakhill Residents Association, and his wife Clare Nolan, both of 23 Oakhill in Carlow, are accused of assault and breaching the peace on February 27 last year, and of breaching the peace on February 28. Myles and Lorraine O'Brien, of 25 Oakhill, are charged with breaching the peace and assault on February 27, while their relation, Mary Walker of 9 Oakhill, is charged with two counts of assault and another of breaching the peace.
Mr. Nolan last week gave his evidence of what occurred on February 27, as he was about to bring his wife to work. He said he was turning his car in the estate when Myles O'Brien beeped his horn at him and shouted that he was 'trying to kill him'.
Mr. Nolan said that he got out of his car and asked O'Brien how long he'd had his driver's licence. Myles and Lorraine O'Brien, Mary Walker, and their mother, Anne O'Brien all then got out of their car.
Mr. Nolan continued that Lorraine O'Brien went to his car and hit his wife, while the rest of them dragged him to the ground three times.
He said that Myles O'Brien was on top of him and that he pinched his nipple to get him off.
The court heard that during the alleged fracas, 'Mrs. O'Brien fell to the ground like a pantomime dame' and that Mary O'Brien got into the Nolan's car where she hit Lorraine Nolan.
Mr. Nolan said that he pulled Mary O'Brien out of the car and that Myles O'Brien then pulled him, resulting in the three of them falling to the ground.
Under cross-examination, Mr. Nolan alleged that 'they all had a pop at me' and denied driving in an aggressive fashion.
He also denied assaulting Mary Walker and said that the only contact he had with her was when she was 'trespassing' in his car when she hit his wife. Clare Nolan said that during the course of the incident, Mary Walker told her that she was a prostitute and that there was 'a list down in the barracks of all you do in the town.'
She continued that she saw Lorraine O'Brien trying to pull Myles off her husband but that she fell on top of them instead.
She also said that Mary Walker hit her while she was in the car and that Lorraine O'Brien slapped her across the face with a handbag.
The case was then adjourned until July 8 when it's expected that the O'Briens will give their side of the events.
