JACKIE HEALY-RAE, the son and parliamentary assistant of TD Michael Healy-Rae, has appeared in Kenmare District Court on a charge of assaulting a 30-year-old visiting Englishman in a late-night incident in Kenmare over a year ago.

Jackie Healy Rae (23) has been a parliamentary assistant for his father since the age of 18. He is also contesting a local election seat in the new four-seat Castleisland area in the May local elections in an announcement made before Christmas.

His younger brother Kevin is a co-accused, along with another Kilgarvan man.

Jackie is accused of assaulting 30-year-old Kieran James, causing him harm, an offence contrary to Section 3 of the Non-fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

The incident is alleged to have occurred on 28 December 2017, at Main Street Kenmare.

He is also accused of what is known as common or Section 2 assault on James, this time at East Park Lane, Kenmare, on the night.

Kevin Healy Rae (22) is accused of assaulting Kieran James causing him harm at Main Street, Kenmare. Both Healy Rae brothers accused have an address at the family home in Sandymount, Kilgarvan.

A third man, Malachy Scannell (34) of Inchinacoosh, Kilgarvan, is also accused of a Section 3 Assault against James on the night at Main Street, Kenmare, and of assaulting another man, Cornelius O’Sullivan, and damaging a pair of prescription glasses belonging to O’Sullivan.

Adjourned 

Garda Sergeant Mulhall Nolan said there were three defendants – it was the same medical report in the case of all three.

Judge David Waters enquired as to the nature of the criminal damage allegation and the sergeant told him that it was a case of “glasses being knocked off the face in the course of an altercation”. 

Solicitor for the three defendants Padraig O’Connell said he was seeking disclosure of all documents. He said all matters will be contested in due course.

Judge Waters said he was making the disclosure order and adjourning the matter to June to set a hearing date for the district court.

There was a large media presence in court with some eight reporters, and outside the court were several photographers.

The three accused arrived early and sat together on the benches during the proceedings, accompanied by their solicitor.

Kerry relatives of the alleged victim, James, were also in court.

Comments have been closed as the above case is ongoing.