Pub assault case against ex-TD Sean Conlan adjourned

Former FG deputy faces charges over alleged incident in pub involving broken pint glass

Former TD Sean  Conlan appeared briefly in Carrickmacross District Court on Wednesday  facing two charges relating to an  alleged incident at  licensed premises in Ballybay on August 23rd last. File photograph: Matt Kavanagh/The Irish Times
Former TD Sean Conlan appeared briefly in Carrickmacross District Court on Wednesday facing two charges relating to an alleged incident at licensed premises in Ballybay on August 23rd last. File photograph: Matt Kavanagh/The Irish Times

A former Cavan-Monaghan Dáil deputy who lost his seat in the recent general election appeared in court today having been remanded on bail on charges relating to an alleged assault at his family-owned pub last year.

Sean Conlan had been remanded from a previous sitting of Carrickmacross District Court on January 27th last on his own bail of €100.

Mr Conlan had resigned from Fine Gael because of what he termed as his dissatisfaction over "the response" to issues he raised in the constituency.

He lost his seat after running as an Independent.

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Mr Conlan appeared briefly in court again on Wednesday facing two charges relating to the alleged incident at the licensed premises in Ballybay on August 23rd last.

Broken pint glass

Mr Conlan, with an address at Main Street, Ballybay, was charged under Section 11 of the Firearms Act for the alleged use of a broken pint glass during the pub incident and also with assaulting Enda Duffy of Annahia, Ballybay, Co Monaghan, under Section 3 of the Non Fatal Offences Against the Persons Act.

Garda Insp Kevin Gavigan, Carrickmacross, who was prosecuting, told Judge Denis McLoughlin at a previous hearing that photographs were available in relation to the injury sustained by Mr Duffy whom, he said, suffered a severe cut to his arm from a glass and required a number of stitches following the incident.

When the case was called on Wednesday, James McGuill, a Dundalk solicitor representing Mr Conlon, said they were endeavouring to obtain some CCTV footage which they believed might have an impact on the case.

In the circumstances, he said, he was seeking a further adjournment.

Judge McLoughlin adjourned the case to a further sitting at Carrickmacross on April 13th, remanding Mr Conlan on continuing bail.

The former TD sat in the body of the court during the hearing and did not speak.