Galway farmer found guilty of assault in cow dung case

A farmer from Co Galway has been convicted of assault and breaching the peace by throwing a bag of cow dung at TD Anne Rabbitte at a public meeting in 2023.

Earlier, Ennis District Court judge refused an application to dismiss the charge of assault against farmer Joseph Baldwin for throwing a bag of animal excrement at Galway East Fianna Fáil TD Anne Rabbitte.

Mr Baldwin of Ballyvaneen, Gort, had denied a charge of assault after flinging a bag of cow dung at the TD at a public meeting in O'Sullivans Hotel in Gort on 4 January 2023.

He is also charged with a public order offence by using threatening or abusive behaviour on the same night.

CCTV footage shown to the court on 13 September showed Mr Baldwin flinging a bag at Ms Rabbitte, but it missed hitting her.

He had done this after also flinging a bag of animal excrement at Fine Gael TD Ciarán Cannon, which landed at his feet and did not hit him.

But he turned to Ms Rabbitte and said: "There's one for you too."

Solicitor Daragh Hassett, on behalf of Mr Baldwin, had made a submission to Judge Alec Gabbett to drop the charge of assault, given the object thrown did not actually hit the deputy.

Giving his ruling, Judge Gabbett said he was refusing the application having considered the evidence before him and having watched the CCTV.

He concluded the defendant did have a case to answer.

He said while the bag thrown at Ms Rabbitte did not hit her, she had an apprehension or fear that it would, and that by the defendant's action she was about to be subjected to harm.

He said he had examined case law on the matter and that the Section 2 assault charge does deal with the issue of apprehension.

This afternoon, Baldwin was convicted of assault and breaching the peace. A probation report will be prepared in advance of a sentence.