Mayo men to appear before Circuit Court in relation to Castlebar assault
Four Mayo men and a Laois man all appeared in court in Castlebar where they were served with a book of evidence
Four Mayo men and a Laois man will appear before Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court in October charged in connection with an alleged serious assault in Castlebar last year.
The five defendants all appeared before Judge Vincent Deane at this morning's sitting of Castlebar District Court where they were served with the book of evidence and sent forward for trial to Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court next month.
Davitt Neary of Shanvalley, Breaffy Woods, Castlebar; Rhys Neary of Shanvalley, Breaffy Woods, Castlebar; Paul Dowding of Frenchhill, Castlebar; Oran Groarke of Ballynew, Turlough Road, Castlebar and Eben Mulqueeney of 47 Willow Grove, Mountmellick, Co Laois were all served with the book of evidence.
Due to the ongoing dispute over the reform of the legal aid scheme, none of the men were legally represented but there were no objections to them being sent forward without legal representation.
Davitt Neary, Rhys Neary and Mr Dowding are all charged with assault causing serious harm and violent disorder in relation to an incident which took place on Tucker Street, Castlebar in the early hours of Saturday, August 23, 2025. Mr Groarke and Mr Mulquenney are both charged with violent disorder arising from the same incident.
Garda Evan Joyce gave evidence of meeting the defendants before the court and serving them each with a copy of the book of evidence.
Court presenter, Sergeant Conor McShane explained that the DPP had consented for the defendants to be returned for trial and applied for them to appear before the next sitting of Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court on October 5 next.
Due to the absence of legal representation, Judge Deane asked each defendant if they understood what an alibi meant before issuing them with the alibi warning. They all indicated they understood.
Mr Dowding along with Mr Groarke and Mr Mulquenney all separately applied for legal aid but the other two defendants did not make any such application.
Judge Deane granted the three defendants legal aid for one senior and one junior counsel.
Judge Deane remanded the five defendants on bail and sent them forward to appear before the next sittings of Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court on October 5.