Golf club attack after slurry row

A pensioner who took issue with a company spreading slurry on land they owned near his older sister’s house in Mid Louth admitted taking a golf club to the a jeep belonging to the firm, Dundalk District Court heard last week.

Michael Martin, (67), 1 St Mary’s Grove, Kilsaran, admitted damaging the vehicle, belonging to Irish Agricultural Development Ltd at Maine, Castlebellingham on February 3.

Judge Flann Brennan heard how there was ‘an ongoing issue’ between Martin and the firm who farm land around his elderly sister’s house. At around 11.45am, an employee of the company was leaving the area in his Pajero and Martin was standing on the grass verge of the laneway.

Martin swung a golf club and smashed the back passenger window of the vehicle, causing, it was claimed, €800 worth of damage. Barrister Irene Sands explained her client, who has no previous convictions, wanted the matter dealt with in court as soon as possible and the case was heard five days after the offence.

She said Murphy’s sister is 78 years old and he was annoyed that water had gathered on the land around her house and slurry was being spread. Ms Sands said: ‘ The smell around the house was having an impact’.

She added that Martin had acted ‘ out of nothing but frustration, which resulted in this spur of the moment’ offence. He has never been in trouble before and Martin felt that his older sister was not able to look after this situation herself. ‘ The frustration in him had built up about the situation regarding his older sister’s house’.

Ms Sands said Martin is willing to pay compensation for the damage he caused, ‘ but the estimation seems to be a bit high’. He had €200 in court. She asked Judge Brennan to take into account Martin’s previously clear record and the background to the offence.

Judge Brennan asked for Gardai to get a final bill for the damage so that Martin could pay it and adjourned the case to March 1, indicating he would not impose a jail term.