The husband of a former principal of a west Clare school was yesterday convicted of the assault of the school's vice-principal.
At Kilrush District Court yesterday, Michael Lineen (45), of Kilmihil, was convicted of the assault on Mr John Garrihy near St Michael's Community College, Kilmihil, on May 7th last.
Judge Joseph Mangan fined Lineen €500, bound him to the peace for two years and ordered him to have no contact with Mr Garrihy.Lineen denied the charge yesterday, and said he approached Mr Garrihy on May 7th to tell him to leave his wife, Teresa, alone when she returned to work at the school. Lineen had told gardaí his wife resigned as principal in 2003 due to health problems. He claimed the problems were brought about by attempts by Mr Garrihy to undermine her. However, Mr Garrihy denied bullying Ms Lineen.
Mr Garrihy said: "I was at the front of the school ... when a van stopped and the driver, Michael Lineen, pulled down the window and pointed a menacing finger towards me to say: 'Teresa will be coming back, so you better not give her hassle or I will deal with you'.
"I told him: 'I gave Teresa no hassle', but Mr Lineen said: 'You cost Teresa her job', and I said: 'Where's the proof?' I then told Mr Lineen 'I don't have to listen to this', and Lineen then jumped out of the van, and grabbed me by the neck and pushed me back."
Lineen denied the assault, saying he did not catch Mr Garrihy by the shirt, but put out his hand to protect himself.