A south Galway farmer arrived without shoes and socks at a neighbour’s farmyard and told his neighbour while putting on his socks “when I have my stockings on, I’ll get you”, a court has heard.
At Gort District Court, farmer, Brian Gill (41) alleged how shoeless farmer, Brendan Forde (53) made the threat shortly before hitting him across the head with an iron bar.
Brian Gill of Cahermore, Kinvara, Co. Galway said that he sustained “a dent” on his head from the iron bar assault.
Court judgement of assault
In evidence, Brendan Forde admitted that he struck Brian Gill with the iron bar but it was in self-defence and denied making the “I’ll get you” threat.
Brendan Forde told the court: “Why I would be that much of a fool?”
However, after hearing conflicting versions of two altercations in the Gill farmyard on July 1, 2021 between Gill and two members of the Forde family, including 83-year-old Michael Forde, Judge Marian O’Leary has found Brian Gill and Brendan Forde both guilty of assault.
The judge said that it is clear that the Fordes and Brian Gill were “once friends and neighbours and they are now arch enemies”.
Judge O’Leary found Brendan Forde of Caherawoneen, Kinvara, Co. Galway guilty of assault causing harm of Brian Gill after striking him with the iron bar and producing a weapon capable of inflicting serious injury.
“The use of the iron bar was not in self defence and not proportionate in the circumstances. Brendan Forde is very lucky not to before a court on more serious charges,” the judge said.
Judge O’Leary said that “by his own admission, Brian Gill punched Brendan Forde in the eye and is guilty of assault”.
Row
The farmyard row was sparked by Brian Gill removing the keys for road safety reasons from a John Deere tractor which he said was being driven by a 13-year-old member of the Forde family and handing the keys into Gort Garda Station.
The teenager’s grandfather, Michael Forde drove to Gill’s farmyard to retrieve the tractor keys and Gill said in evidence when he saw Michael Forde arrive “he wasn’t welcome in the yard”.
Gill said: “He hadn’t visited the yard in three years and I told him he ‘put on his jersey three years ago, leave now and get the f**k out of the yard’.”
Both men then gave conflicting accounts of their altercation in the farmyard.
Gill said that while sitting in the car, Michael Forde started poking him with a stick out the window and Gill said that he defended himself and shoved the stick back in which clipped the nose of Michael Forde.
Gill said that he took the keys out of the ignition of Forde’s car.
Michael Forde told the court that Brian Gill punched him in the face but Gill denied punching Michael Forde and told the court that he wasn’t charged with his assault.
Forde – who required the aid of a walking stick to walk to the witness box – said: “I was an 80-year man at the time. I’m not in great shape and I didn’t expect anyone to beat up an 80-year-old.
“I never, ever had a cross word with anyone in my life. I am 83 years of age and I have no enemies,” he added.
Neighbours’ testimony in court
Michael Forde said that he was best friends of Brian Gill’s parents. He said: “The Gills were the best neighbours.
“I’m on the road 50 years. We helped each other and I taught his grandfather how to drive a car.
“I can forgive Brian Gill over what happened, but I will never forgive him for the things he said that day.
“My wife died at 42 years of age from cancer and he started giving out about my wife. She is dead 35 years and she should be left in peace.”
In evidence, Brendan Forde said that he received a call from his father, Michael Forde “that he was in his car at Brian Gill’s and that he was hurt and the keys were taken from him”.
Brendan Forde said that “I didn’t even put on my shoes and socks, I was that worried about him” and got into his car to go to the Gill farmyard.
Brendan Forde said that on arrival “I put on my shoes and socks and we did our best to plead with Brian Gill to go in and see my father. We didn’t know at this stage if he was hit four times or the once.”
Brendan Forde said that himself and brother, Ollie Forde climbed the gate to enter the Gill property “and the gate fell with the two of us”.
In evidence, Gill said that there was a bit of shoving and jostling at this stage and Brendan Forde “ran towards me with the iron bar and hit me on the head”.
Gill said: “I was dazed for 30 seconds and I could feel the blood running down my face into my eyes.”
Gill added that as he walked past Brendan Forde, Forde said: “I’ll give it to you again”.
Brian Gill told the court: “I said in my own mind ‘you won’t – because you are not going to kill me in my own yard this evening’ and I struck him into his right eye with my fist.”
Gill said that he struck Brendan Forde in self defence.
In his version of what occurred, Brendan Forde said he picked up an iron bar off the ground and gave Brian Gill a belt with the iron bar. He also denied making the second threat.
He said: “I didn’t intend to hurt anyone. I used the bar as a protection for myself to get to my father.
“When that happened at least we got a couple of seconds head-start to get away from Brian Gill and get to my father.”
Brendan Forde said that Gill “punched me full into the face. I am delighted that the gardaí came and they dealt with it from there”.
He said: “I was doing my best to protect myself from getting badly hurt.”
Cross examination
Barrister for Brian Gill, Martin Durack said to Brendan Forde: “Why didn’t you hit him in the leg or down the arm or hit him someplace else? Why did you have to hit him down on the top of the head?”
The barrister said that his client, Brian Gill sustained a laceration to his scalp that required seven sutures from Westdoc later that evening.
Fighting back tears, Brendan Forde said: “I am sorry if made I made a mistake – I did my best to protect myself and my father… I was attacked and attacked and attacked and I am so sorry if that is wrong.”
The barrister claimed that Forde was “feigning tears” and Brendan Forde replied: “I am doing my best to try to describe what happened.”
Judge O’Leary has adjourned the case with a date to be fixed to allow Brian Gill and Brendan Forde provide victim impact statements to the court.