The brother and sister who threw up to 32 eggs at their aunt during a five minute long ‘egg assault’ on her outside their south Galway home will have to wait another month to learn their fate.
At Gort District Court on Thursday, a hand-written victim impact statement was presented on behalf of Mary Fahy who told court previously said that her face got ‘banged’ and ‘bashed’ with the eggs thrown by her nephew and niece, Cathal Connors (25) and Michelle Connors (20) both of Fannaun, Peterswell in south Galway while she was driving past their home at around 6.30pm on October 17th 2019.
Mrs Fahy told the court previously: “It was bang, bang, bang, bang. I thought they were stones and they continued for five minutes or thereabouts and banging eggs off my face”. Mrs Fahy told the court that her niece and nephew threw “a dozen and a score of eggs” at her.
In court on Thursday, Judge Mary Larkin directed that Garda provide a copy of the victim impact statement to solicitor for the Connors, John Nash before it be opened up to the court. Gardaí handed a copy to Mr Nash.
Mr Nash said that it was his understanding that Probation Reports directed by Judge Larkin on the last date were not yet ready.
Judge Larkin told Mr Nash that the cases could be adjourned to June 23rd for the Probation Reports “and subject to what you have to say, I can read the victim impact statement”.
In court in January, Judge Larkin said that the two siblings “deliberately assaulted this woman” with eggs.
Cathal and Michelle Connors each denied a count of assault on Mrs Fahy and causing criminal damage to Mrs Fahy’s Ford Kuga at Faunaun, Peterswell but Judge Larkin found them guilty on all counts.
Judge Larkin said that the court has heard a history of family discord and unpleasantness linked to land “and these two young people got involved in whatever familial dispute that has been going on over land”.
In evidence, Mrs Fahy said she still has a mark on her face from the egg assault but that it wasn’t visible in court as she was wearing make-up.
Mrs Fahy – who lives 2.5km from the Connors property – said that her niece and nephew “had seen me coming at a distance… I knew they were getting at me and that they had something in mind”.
Mrs Fahy stated that she was driving her Ford Kuga car past her brother, Patrick Connors’ home after getting shopping in Gort when Mr Connors’ two children carried out their egg assault.
Mrs Fahy said that she got ‘banged’ with eggs in the face as she slowed down and had her car window down three quarters.
Mrs Fahy agreed with solicitor for Cathal and Michelle Connors, John Nash that there have been difficulties between her brother, Patrick Connors and a sister concerning a farm of land.
Mrs Fahy said “he tried to take over her farm…he is the one man causing all the problems”.
Mrs Fahy said that she wasn’t able to continue driving because she was in shock. She said: “I got such a fright, my head just went. I am passing there 38 years and I never saw that before”.
As a result of the assault, Mrs Fahy said “my blood pressure was through the roof and I had to get three days off work”.
Mrs Fahy’s son James was the first on the scene and he told the court that his mother “was in shock, shivering and very upset” when he arrived.
He said that there were eggs on her face, her clothing and the interior of the car and egg shells on the road.
He said: “Her glasses were off her face. There was an egg sitting on her chest. Her trousers were all eggs. The back headrest was dripping with eggs”.
