ONE of the longest-running trials ever before a District Court neared completion yesterday when 22 of the original 35 defendants on charges arising out of riots between local traveller families last June were convicted by Judge John Neilan.
At Tuam District Court, convictions were recorded on charges ranging from assault, occasioning actual bodily harm, possession of offensive weapons and public order offences. Sentences will be passed today.
Judge Neilan has already indicated that all the defendants before the court are to be bound to the peace and required to enter personal peace bonds.
He signalled again to the court that he intended imposing very severe peace bond conditions which in some instances would require those undertaking the bonds to confine their movements to within a one-mile radius of their homes. He also indicated that driving bans of up to 25 years will be imposed today in court.
Judge Neilan said as a bond condition a passport photograph had to be attached to the paperwork and any person wishing to travel outside this one-mile radius had to apply to their local garda superintendent in writing for permission to do so.
Personal cash sureties of up to £5,000 would have to be lodged and this money would be forfeited if any conditions of the peace bonds were broken.
He described what had been witnessed in Tuam during the two days of violence which began in Tuam cemetery on June 2nd last as "ethnic cleansing, tribalism and savagery of the lowest order" and it was his duty and the duty of the court to act to ensure there was no repetition of these events.
Mr Gerard Gannon, defending solicitor, said he had difficulty with the judge's comments on sentencing, which were issued before the defence had concluded its case. He said this would indicate that conclusions had already been reached by the judge.
Judge Neilan said he took strong issue with this comment and the court had never ever prejudiced the defendants right to a fair trial. Mr Gannon said there may have been a misunderstanding of language and he accepted the court had shown great tolerance and forebearance.
There was a strong Garda presence in and around Tuam court-house yesterday and once the defendants, all members of the extended Ward family, left the court, four members of the McDonagh family charged with perjury were brought before the court. They were four McDonagh brothers, John, David, Michael and William.
Judge Neilan said their perjury had almost wrecked the prosecution's case. He indicated his intention to impose penalties on all four similar to the bond restrictions he had outlined for those convicted during the trial.
Their solicitor, Mr George Bruen, put it to the court that his clients were entitled to a trial if they were to face such severe penalties. Judge Neilan pointed out that the court had the power 19 act in this manner in cases of perjury.
The court agreed that the DPP should be consulted on the matter and all four were remanded on continuing bail until next Friday.