By Gordon Deegan
The south Co. Galway farmer accused of throwing a bag of cow dung in the direction of Minister for State, Anne Rabbitte, has told a court that “it is a small incident and something I probably should regret”.
At Gort District Court today, Joseph Baldwin (39) of Ballyaneen, Gort, spoke in court for the first time concerning being charged with assaulting Anne Rabbitte on January 4, 2023 at a public meeting at O’Sullivans Royal Hotel, Gort.
The assault charge against Baldwin is contrary to Section 2 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.
Baldwin told Judge Marian O’Leary: “I have been branded for assaulting a person and there is clear video – four images of CCTV – where Anne Rabbitte never got struck by the bag on the night in question.”
He said that the case “is affecting me now for a good while, it is affecting my family, affecting work, and it is all over the media”.
He said: “I have also had a local representative in the area to negotiate with Anne to bring the matter to a close and to try to sort it out. He went back to me last week and the issues have changed.”
Baldwin is denying the assault charge and Judge O’Leary today stated that the case will be heard at a special sitting of Ennis District Court on September 13 before Judge Alec Gabbett.
Baldwin told the court: “It is a small incident and something I probably should regret but it is being pushed by higher powers, there were ‘supers’ in Galway – there are an awful lot of bigger issues in the county and I am getting done for this?”
He told the court that the case has had “serious repercussions” for him where he is unable to get work since February.
He said: “I can’t get a job.”
He added: “I have worked the last six [to] seven years and since last February a person I even know told me that he couldn’t employ me because of what has been going on.”
When the case was before Judge Gabbett in May to fix a date, he requested Gardai to address court security issues at Gort courthouse ahead of the case.
In response, Baldwin said today: “I am just a normal person – there is no one outside the door protesting or anything like this.”
He asked: “Who decided there was a security risk? I am an ordinary person in this town. I am not a ‘leftie’ or a ‘rightie’. I have canvassed for Fianna Fail politicians – the same party as Anne Rabbitte.”
“I have worked for many people in this town. I have donated money to charity. Paid a house,” he added.
Baldwin handed a letter into court and he said that he has “serious concerns” concerning the case.
He said: “I am prepared in that letter to go in a certain way in this case and to go a certain step forward.”
Baldwin asked that the information in the letter be kept confidential, and the letter was handed back to him.
He remarked: “It is enough of a media circus without making it any worse. It doesn’t affect me but it affects others.”
Baldwin said that he doesn’t mind where the hearing takes place.
His solicitor, John Nash, said that the hearing would take two-and-a-half hours.
At the contested case, Galway East TD and Minister of State at the Department of Health and at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, deputy Anne Rabbitte, will be required to provide her sworn eye witness account from the witness box of what occurred on the night as part of the state case against Baldwin.
Minister Rabbitte was attending the meeting to hear locals’ concerns over a planned biogas plant for Gort.
Galway East colleague, deputy Ciarán Cannon (FG) was also in attendance at the same meeting, which was called to discuss taking a judicial review against the planning decision permitting the biogas plant, and €20,000 was pledged to the fight by those present.
Judge O’Leary adjourned the case to Ennis District Court to tomorrow (Friday, July 26) to allow Judge Gabbett formally assign the September 13 date for hearing.