THE TRIAL of Fianna Fáil TD Mattie McGrath for assault of a teenager has heard Mr McGrath's son was "bottled" over the head as he tried to help his father from a group of "drunken" and "menacing" youths.
The court heard that Mattie McGrath (50) had to lead his son Edmond (23) away to safety after a bottle was smashed over his son's head during a row in his hometown two years ago.
Edmond McGrath claims he was "bottled" by Timothy Cleere (19), who Mattie and Edmond McGrath and four other men are accused of assaulting.
A statement made by Edmond McGrath to gardaí following the alleged incident was read to the jury on the seventh day of the trial at Clonmel Circuit Court yesterday.
Edmond McGrath said he had been drinking large bottles of cider in Nugent's pub, Newcastle, on August 13th, 2006 and that he heard Mr Cleere, Declan Hoare and Stuart Forbes shouting abuse at people outside the pub.
He said they seemed to be looking for a fight.
He said two men went up from the pub to talk to the youths and that his father Mattie McGrath also went up and took one of the men away and brought him home.
He said the youths were then shouting "Tiocfaidh Ár Lá" and "We'll get you, you wankers" to people at the pub.
Mr McGrath said his father went up to the car park to take a lift home with another man and that Anthony O'Dwyer received a phone call in the pub from his father saying he was "in trouble".
Edmond McGrath said he followed Mr O'Dwyer up to the car park and that he was confronted by Mr Cleere who ran towards him with a bottle.
He said Mr Cleere hit him on the head three times with the bottle and that the bottle broke over his head and that he was bleeding profusely.
He said Mr Cleere then tried to shove the broken bottle into his face.
Mr McGrath said his father took him away to the back of Mr O'Shea's car.
Mr McGrath said he did not hit Mr Cleere but only "pushed him away" when he was attacked.
Garda Michael Faraher of Ballymacarbry Garda station gave evidence yesterday that Mr Cleere declined to make any statement when allegations of an assault on Edmond McGrath were put to him.
Reading from his notebook, Garda Faraher said Mr Cleere indicated to him that he had already made a statement and that he didn't hit Edmond McGrath.
The assault trial resumes next Tuesday.