Longford woman found guilty of party assault

Margaret Marie Ward (23) 23 Palace Crescent, Longford was before Judge Bernadette Owens accused of an assault on July 23, 2021 at 28 Oakvale, Longford.

The first prosecution witness was the victim, Tori McGreevy, who gave evidence of the circumstances surrounding the incident. Ms McGreevy said an argument broke out between her boyfriend, Michael McDonagh, and the defendant.

“I went over and asked what was going on. Margaret Marie turned to me and said, 'Wait until my Peter comes down'. I walked away and as I was going she came up behind me and hit me on the left side of my head three times,” Ms McGreevy told the court.

The witness said as a result of the blows she developed three bumps and a swollen lip and ear. She added: “I walked out to the house. I did not want to be in an argument, so I left.”

Ms McGreevy attended MiDoc and was later treated in Mullingar General Hospital.

In cross examination the defendant's solicitor, Frank Gearty, described the scene: “It was the summer. There was a pool in the back garden of 28 Oakvale. Margaret was a guest, she got in an argument with your boyfriend and you intervened.”

He continued: “Margaret will say that she did not hit you, she will admit she threw a bottle, and she knows that was a wrong thing to do, but she will strenuously deny she hit you. Margaret will say you are mistaken about her hitting you. She acknowledges she was bold, but will maintain she did not hit you.”

The witness said she was sure the defendant hit her.

The second State witness, Garda Tara Halanin of Ballymahon Garda Station, gave evidence of her investigation of the matter. On July 24 she was on duty in Longford Garda Station when Tori McGreevy attended and made the allegation of an assault the previous day.

The officer said there was a clear indication of bruising and swelling to the victim's ear, lip and head. On August 9 Margaret Marie Ward made a voluntary caution statement. In that statement she denied hitting Ms McGreevy, but admitted throwing a bottle.

Garda Halanin spoke to guests at the party, however all declined to make a statement. Michael McDonagh, the victim's boyfriend, said he did not witness the assault.

The defence only called one witness, the accused Margaret Marie Ward. Taking to the witness box she gave her account of the party in the private residence. She said there were “five or six people” in attendance. She got in an argument with Michael McDonagh, and “threw a bottle, not at him but in his direction”.

“I'm sorry about that, I know I shouldn't have done it. Then Torí McGreevy came up, she was roaring and shouting. I didn't touch Tori, I never hit her on her ear like she said,” Ms Ward told the judge.

The defendant claimed she “never had any issues” with the victim: “We were friends on Snapchat. She invited me down to the party, I could not screenshot the invite, because she unfriended me after.”

Ms Ward said she went home “after the argument” because the party was “basically over”.

In his submission to the judge, Mr Gearty suggested the prosecution failed in providing “proof beyond reasonable doubt”. He pointed out that Ms McGreevey's boyfriend, who was at the party “did not see any incident and did not give any evidence of an assault”.

“Margaret admits that she threw a bottle, but she denies any assault,” Mr Gearty concluded.

In his submission to the judge Inspector David Jordan described the case as being “one person's word against another” because no witnesses came forward: “We have contradictory versions of the events, but we also have the injuries sustained by Ms McGreevy,” the inspector said.

The inspector said the defendant “admitted to being in a heightened state” and throwing a bottle.

After a review of the evidence Judge Owens determined that the State met the threshold to convict the defendant.

The judge adjourned the matter to April 14 next, to allow for the preparation of a victim impact statement and give the defence time to submit mitigation.