“It was like something out of a movie, a car tears up and the occupants pile out,” was how a defence solicitor described viewing CCTV footage of a street affray which took place on Main Street, Loughrea in the middle of the day.
She made her observations when dealing with a charge of affray brought against Teresa Ward, 20, An Crannóg, Loughrea, before Judge Vincent Deane at Loughrea District Court.
Sheena McCarthy solr. said: “This is a manifestly sad story involving a mother-in-law and her daughter-in-law.” Her client was pleading guilty to the charge of affray which was reduced from one of violent disorder and which Judge Deane said was only “slightly less serious”.
Allegations against another individual arising out of the affray have yet to be heard before the Court and no guilt on their part can be implied from the evidence heard during Teresa Ward’s hearing.
A prosecuting Garda Sgt said the incident occurred at 3pm in the afternoon on June 13 last and was witnessed by many schoolchildren who were on Main Street at the time. CCTV footage showed a VW car “screeching to a halt”, the occupants jumping out and then two women engaging in pushing and pulling each other’s hair in the middle of the street, in full view of schoolchildren and members of the public in the area at the time. She added that both parties met and there was “no walking away”. The incident was posted on social media.
The Court was told that the falling-out was over comments made, some of which were posted on Facebook, and offence had been taken.
Ms McCarthy said her client was a mother of eight children and her eldest son was the partner of Savannah Ward, a co-accused. As a result of the dispute, she had a grandchild she was not seeing.
Her client was holding her hands up to the charge and was “mortified” by what had happened as she manifestly would not approve of her children behaving in this way.
She made the mistake of stepping off the footpath to defend herself she claimed. The two husbands had separated them. Now, as a result, her son wasn’t speaking to her, she added.
She went on to argue that Teresa Ward was not the aggressor on the day. She was well-known and respected in the town and encouraged her children to complete their education.
However, Judge Deane said: “Your client had two choices, fight or flight, and because of her choice we’re here today. “Maybe she didn’t start it but she stayed around to finish it,” he said.
He added that he could not imagine what the parents of schoolchildren thought of them witnessing such a scene on the street in the middle of the day.
He ordered a Probation report and adjourned sentencing until the January 27 sitting of the Court.
