Judge strikes out four-

GENEROUS STUDENTS at Gorey Community School recently presented more than 380 shoe boxes packed with Christmas gifts to Team Hope, a charity that sends them to children in Eastern Europe and Africa. A spokesperson for the school thanked the students and parents for their generosity and continued support of the charity. The school also held a food appeal and the school community was thanked for its support and kindness. AN ASSAULT CHARGE levelled against caravan park owner Thomas O’Loughlin (54) of Ardamine House, Courtown, was struck out at the District Court recently.

Judge Gerard Haughton heard prosecution evidence in the case but then ruled that allowing four years to elapse before the case came before him was not in the best interest of justice.

The incident which led to the taking of the case occurred in a field at Branogue Park in Ardamine back in December of 2013.

The court heard evidence from Dillon Kane Dunne, who was 15 years old and living at Glenbeg Point at the time. He said that he was knocked to the ground by a blow from O’Loughlin on the night in question, which left him with an eye injury.

O’Loughlin, who had called gardaí to investigate a break-in at his caravan park nearby, suggested at the time that Kane Dunne was hurt as he had run into a fence.

In court, the defending barrister suggested that the accused had a right of self-defence against someone from whom he had confiscated a knife on a previous occasion.

Counsel also repeatedly stated that there had been around 100 instances of burglary at his client’s business.

He recalled that O’Loughlin’s employee Tony Howell sustained a fractured eye socket in one incident, while another led to a fatal