A YOUTH county councillor pleaded guilty to breaching a barring order and to a public order offence at Dundalk District Court yesterday. Finnan McCoy, Irish Street, Ardee, Co Louth, a Progressive Democrat councillor, gave an undertaking to the court that he would not breach the order again and would stay away from his wife.
Garda Philip Carroll said that on August 26th last Mrs Anne McCoy arrived at Ardee Garda station. She was upset and agitated and began to cry.
A barring order against her husband, the defendant, was imposed the previous April. She told a garda she had attended a job interview that day and while driving to it was met by her husband who was driving another car. He had turned his car and followed her and drove at speed behind her, she said.
Mrs McCoy also said that when she arrived for the interview he had shouted abuse and insults at her. The garda said that while he was taking a statement, the defendant had pulled up outside the Garda station. When Mrs McCoy left, he had heard shouting and went out and told McCoy to leave her alone and to drive off. McCoy told the garda they had made an arrangement to meet that afternoon but she would not speak to him.
The garda agreed with Mr Frank McDonnell, for the defendant, that when the barring order was made McCoy had not been represented in court. The garda said he had received complaints from both parties including allegations that their 17 year old daughter had been assaulted by her mother. Mr McDonnell said both parties have since begun to sort out their affairs.
McCoy gave an undertaking to the court that he would not breach the order again and the matter was adjourned until May 7th next to see how he behaved. The judge warned him that if he broke his word he had better have his bags packed.