A judge has ruled that a 19 year old Ennis man’s assault case against a man in his 60s at a protest against a rumoured new accommodation centre for asylum seekers in Co Clare last year can remain in the district court.
At Ennis District Court, Ross Culligan of Connolly Villas, Ennis appeared in connection with being charged with the assault causing harm of local man, Michael Neylon at Scool, Corofin contrary to Section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act on May 22nd 2023.
After viewing video footage of a stand-off between Mr Neylon and an unidentified man with a Northern Ireland accent in the build up to the alleged assault, Judge Alec Gabbett ruled that the case could be heard in the district court on a plea of guilty only.
The video footage did not feature Mr Culligan and Judge Alec Gabbett commented “the clip doesn’t show the actual incident resulting in the dent to the eye”.
Judge Gabbett said that the footage “sets the scene quite nicely”.
Solicitor for Mr Culligan, Tara Godfrey said that she would now be required to consult with her client before indicating to court if there is a plea of guilty or not guilty.
Ms Godfrey described the Garda disclosure in the case as ‘meaty enough’.
If Mr Culligan enters a not guilty plea to the alleged offence, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has directed that the case be heard in the circuit court where more serious penalties apply on conviction.
Previously outlining the State case against Mr Culligan, Sgt John Burke stated that a blockade was mounted against a rumoured centre for asylum seekers and Mr Culligan was one of those protesting
Sgt Burke said that the alleged injured party, Mr Neylon, engaged with people in the blockade at the location “and there were verbals back and forth”.
Sgt Burke said that during the course of this, Mr Neylon was allegedly assaulted by Mr Culligan, who will turn 20 in January.
Mr Neylon suffered a facial injury as a result of the alleged assault.
Sgt Burke stated that the blockade was mounted over false reports and there were no plans to establish accommodation for asylum seekers at that location.
The protest in Scool, Corofin, Co Clare took place after it was organised via social media, in response to, as it turned out, false claims asylum seekers were going to be housed in the area.
These came about after a video was circulated online in which men toured a house containing multiple beds in each bedroom, claiming that it was going to house asylum seekers in the locality.
At the time, the Minister for Integration, Roderic O’Gorman (Green Party) ruled out the use of the Scool property for asylum seekers.
On RTE radio, Minister O’Gorman said at the time there had been “detailed misinformation” about the property being put into use.
He said: “This is entirely as the result of misinformation that’s been circulated on social media – detailed misinformation, setting out indicative numbers, indicative genders.”
He added: “We are not using the site that has been identified in Corofin. It’s never been offered to us and I suppose I can’t be clearer than that.”
Judge Gabbett adjourned the case to January 15th for a guilty plea or an indication of not guilty.
