Two accuse each other after fight in the street

TWO WOMEN HAD THEIR CASES DISMISSED AFTER BEING BOTH WITNESS AND DEFENDANT AFTER ROW

JACKIE Murphy (37) 7 Beechwood Park Kilcoole, and Sacheem Travers (38) 51 Farrankelly Close, Greystones, both appeared in court last week as defendants and witnesses in the same case.

Murphy was accused of assault causing harm at Priestnewtown in Delgany on June 9; while Travers was accused of disorderly conduct in a public place at 51 Farrankelly close on the same night. Judge William Hamill ultimately dismissed both matters but he remarked that this was not on the merits of the case but legal technicalities.

Garda Barney Carroll attended Travers’ address at 3.30 a.m. on June 9. She said she had been assaulted by Murphy and that Murphy’s partner William Smith had threatened her with a gun. She said that Murphy had bitten her arm and pulled hair from her head. Murphy had been at Travers’ house earlier that night. She said that she had also been assaulted and showed the garda a lump of hair she said had been pulled from her head. Garda Carroll said that William Smith’s legally held guns were removed from his home while the investigation was ongoing but have since been returned. Sacheem Travers said Murphy asked for a phone. ‘I took it out of the stereo and gave it to her before I went to the loo but I hadn’t taken off the screen lock.’ Meanwhile, a man whom she knows as Melly Daly was passing the house, she said, and loaned Murphy his phone. Travers said that Murphy refused to return either phone and left, going up the road. She followed her, and was attacked, she said. Travers said she followed her again, as far as the driveway of her house. She said that Smith then came out of the house with a gun. Murphy said that there no issue with a phone but that when this Melly Daly arrived, an argument broke out between himself and Travers. ‘He said he had given her tablets and he wanted either the tablets or the money. Everyone else had gone. I got my bag and left.’ She said that Travers followed her out, demanding to know why she was going. Gardai told the court that Daly left the scene and made it very clear on the night that he had no wish to be involved or cooperate. William Smith also said he never came out on the road, nor did he brandish any gun.

Solicitor for Sacheem Travers, Conway O’Hara said that his client was facing charges at her address, 51 Farrankelly Close, however no evidence had been given of anything actually occurring at the house. Solicitor Joe Maguire said that Jackie Murphy acted in self defence.

‘ The whole thing is totally unsatisfactory,’ said Judge Hamill as he dismissed the charges.’