A charge of assault against a Limerick city councillor was struck out at the District Court yesterday after his wife withdrew her allegations.
Ms Majella Kelly said she had been assaulted but she also had assaulted her husband, Mr Michael Kelly. "It was both ways," she said.
Alderman Kelly, an Independent, also faced a charge of breaching a protection order and had been remanded in custody on Monday. Judge Leo Malone struck out both charges.
After the hearing Mr Kelly - who has a criminal record but entered politics in the 1999 local elections and now runs a security company - said he was delighted with the outcome.
A father of eight, he said he and his family were being discriminated against by gardai. He had made five complaints to the Garda Complaints Board.
He added that he was more resolved than ever to run for a Dail seat in the Limerick East constituency in the next general election. In the 1999 elections, he topped the poll in his ward, with 914 first preference votes, more than 200 clear of the second highest polling candidate.