A 19-YEAR OLD Ennis man has appeared in court charged with the assault causing harm of a man in his 60s at a protest against a rumoured new accommodation centre for asylum seekers in Co Clare last year.

At Ennis District Court, Ross Culligan of Connolly Villas, Ennis appeared after 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 22 May 2023.

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.

Sgt Burke said that the alleged assault was captured by mobile phone video. Judge Alec Gabbett said that he would like to see the footage before making a decision on court jurisdiction.

Mr Neylon suffered a facial injury as a result of the alleged assault and Sgt Burke said that a photo handed into court showed stitches to Mr Neylon’s face.

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.

Judge Gabbett is to decide if he will hear the case himself in the district court or transfer the case to the circuit court where more serious penalties apply on conviction.

On the matter, Judge Gabbett said: “I would be inclined to keep it here given the age of the accused. He wasn’t a child at the time but was just over 18. The outcome of this is quite serious.”

Judge Gabbett noted that the DPP has directed that the case be heard in the district court on a plea to guilty only.

Solicitor for Mr Culligan, Tara Godfrey said that some disclosure has been provided to her in the case.

She said: “We don’t have the video footage, and we have just received the medical records.” 

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 and Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman ruled out the use of the Scool property for asylum seekers.

On RTÉ 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 next month when he will make his decision on court jurisdiction.