Couple convicted of assault following dispute in Limerick village
A COUPLE attacked a woman with a piece of glass and a stone while on the way to feed a cat, Kilmallock Court heard.
Laura Vaughan, aged 24, of Oliver Plunkett Terrace, Ballylanders pleaded not guilty to assaulting Helen Quish and Ms Quish’s son Terry O’Riordan, and to causing criminal damage to a fence and an iPhone.
Her partner - Rebecca Connery, aged 20, of Glenanaar, Ardpatrick - denied assaulting Ms Quish, entering a yard with intent to commit an offence and criminal damage of a fence.
The first person to give evidence during the hearing was Ms Quish who said there was a "racket" in the front yard of her home in Oliver Plunkett Terrace, Ballylanders at 11.30am on August 10, 2021.
“The two girls were breaking the timber fence. I asked them to cop on and stop - that’s when they attacked me. Laura cut my face with glass. Rebecca was hitting me over the head with a stone. One of them said, ‘Where’s your bodyguard now?’” said Ms Quish.
Inspector Liam Wallace asked about her injuries. Ms Quish said she had a scar on her face. Judge Patricia Harney said: “I can see a mark.”
Insp Wallace then handed up photos of her face and a doctor’s report to the judge.
Barrister Liam Carroll, who represented both defendants, asked Ms Quish if she would accept that it is a very unusual scenario that people would randomly break up stuff.
“Yes,” said Ms Quish.
Mr Carroll said Ms Vaughan had previously made an allegation against Ms Quish’s son (Terry O’Riordan). The barrister then put it to Ms Quish that Ms Vaughan was walking up the street when she was attacked by Ms Quish and the timber fence was damaged as Ms Vaughan tried to fend her off.
Ms Quish denied this.
The next person to give evidence was Terry O’Riordan who said when he arrived he saw Ms Connery pulling down the fence.
“I took my phone out. Laura smashed the phone out of my hand,” said Mr O’Riordan.
Mr Carroll put it to Mr O’Riordan that there is a bad relationship between him and the two defendants. “That’s true,” said Mr O’Riordan.
Mr Carroll said it was over an allegation made by Ms Vaughan against Mr O’Riordan. “That didn’t go to court,” said Mr O’Riordan.
The barrister put it to him that Ms Vaughan was trying to fend off his mother when he “physically struck Laura and propelled her out of the way”.
“Has she any marks? No. I defended myself,” said Mr O’Riordan.
The next witness was Ms Vaughan who said she was on her way to feed her cat.
“Helen Quish grabbed me by the hair and started hitting me. Rebecca, my partner, ran out from two doors down. She grabbed Helen and ended up in her garden. It was a tussle for about four or five minutes. Terry ran towards me and blew me up into the air,” said Ms Vaughan.
Insp Wallace asked what injuries she suffered.
“My right side was swollen, bruising and I had cuts,” said Ms Vaughan.
“Did you go to the doctor?” asked Insp Wallace. “No,” said Ms Vaughan.
Insp Wallace put it to her that it was an unprovoked assault by her and Ms Connery and they damaged Ms Quish’s fence. “No,” said Ms Vaughan.
The last witness in the case was Ms Connery who said she heard a dispute outside.
“I saw Laura get attacked by Helen. Laura was in a headlock. There was a tussle. It lasted a couple of minutes. Terry came on and bulldozed Laura into the air. There were no weapons involved,” said Ms Connery.
Insp Wallace put it to her that she assaulted Ms Quish on her property and damaged her fence. “No. Helen pushed Laura up against the fence,” said Ms Connery.
Mr Carroll made an application for a dismissal.
“No weapons were recovered and no corroborating witnesses. The court is left with a dearth of evidence. The benefit of the doubt must go to the accused,” said Mr Carroll.
Insp Wallace said photos of Ms Quish’s injuries and doctor’s report was evidence.
Judge Harney said she was satisfied matters occurred largely as described, referred to the doctor’s report of Ms Quish’s injuries, including a laceration above her right eyebrow which aligned with being “attacked by a person with glass”.
She proceeded to find Ms Vaughan guilty of assaulting Ms Quish and Mr O’Riordan. A conviction was also recorded relating to the damaged iPhone but the charge relating to the fence was dismissed.
Judge Harney found Ms Connery guilty of assaulting Ms Quish with a stone as the doctor’s report showed a laceration to her scalp.
Ms Connery was also found guilty of entering a yard with intent to commit an offence and causing criminal damage to a fence.
Sentencing was adjourned pending the completion of a pre-sanctioned probation report.