THE TRIAL of Fianna Fáil TD Mattie McGrath for the assault of a teenager has heard a claim that Mr McGrath “hassled” a witness prior to the case going to court.
The trial also heard a witness give evidence that Mr McGrath had “started” a brawl in which a 17-year-old was allegedly kicked and beaten by a group of men whom Mr McGrath had called out of a pub.
Clonmel Circuit Court heard yesterday that Mr McGrath told another man “the boys needed to be sorted out”, following a late-night row in his home town of Newcastle, Co Tipperary, on August 14th, 2006.
On the fourth day of the trial involving Mr McGrath, his son Edmond and four other men, Seán O’Shea gave evidence that Mr McGrath asked him for a lift home from Nugent’s pub at about 11.30pm on the night of the alleged incident.
Mr O’Shea told the court that as they walked to the car park, Mr McGrath began shouting abuse at a group of youths sitting at the gates of the church.
He said Mr McGrath accused them of “scutting and blackguarding” around the village and that they were “vandalising the village”.
Mr O’Shea said he and Mr McGrath got into his car and that a number of the youths came around the car and started arguing with the TD.
Mr O’Shea said he went to get out but that Mr McGrath grabbed his arm and told him to hold on, that he had a phone and would “get the boys to come down”.
Mr O’Shea said a “big crowd of lads” came down from the pub and that a melee started.
Mr O’Shea told the jury that when it was over, Mr McGrath sat in his car and apologised to him, saying “the boys needed to be sorted out”. Mr O’Shea told the court that “Mattie started it” and that if he had been going home on his own, the youths wouldn’t have bothered him.
Paddy McCarthy SC, for Mr McGrath, asked Mr O’Shea in cross-examination if he didn’t like Mr McGrath.
Mr O’Shea said he didn’t have anything against Mr McGrath.
He then told the court that he had got “hassle” from Mr McGrath in Nugent’s pub last November, the day before the case was first due before the Clonmel District Court.
He said Mr McGrath “spoke plenty about me” in front of a big crowd in the pub.
The trial continues next week.