A Cork garda has been cleared of breaking a youth's arm with a stick during an alleged assault two years ago.
Mr Derek Walsh (40), of Coolowen, Blarney, was found not guilty of assaulting Mr Jonathan Roche on November 17th, 2002. Mr Walsh, who denied the charge, was off duty at the time.
Mr Roche claimed he and two friends were returning home from a day's hunting with their dogs when Mr Walsh attacked them for no particular reason. He said he ran to hide in a shed in the back garden of a house where he was discovered by Mr Walsh (40) who beat him with the stick on the elbow, kneecap and ribs, breaking his arm.
Judge Sean O'Donnabhain told the jury this account differed greatly from that of Mr Walsh's mother, who said she had watched as the three boys allowed their dogs to terrorise her sheep and hens. A neighbour also said he saw one of the boys try to break a chicken's neck.
Garda Walsh admitted he had taken a stick to the scene, but only because his mother called him and said there were intruders on her property. He denied hitting any of the boys and said Mr Roche broke his arm when he fell while running away.
The jury found the garda not guilty after just over 30 minutes of deliberations.