Farmer hit out after he was outbid at cattle sale

A KILBRITTAIN farmer has avoided a conviction for assaulting another farmer after a court heard he was outbid for a lot at a mart because the man told someone else about it.

Noel O’Regan of Lissaphooca, Kilbrittain pleaded guilty to assaulting John Lordan at Bandon District Court, while a public order charge was withdrawn by the prosecution.

Sgt Paul Kelly told the court that on May 25th 2022, Mr Lordan made a complaint to Kilbrittain Garda Station and said he was assaulted by the defendant, who was known to him, on March 29th. ‘The defendant struck him a number of times and Mr Lordan received minor injuries,’ said Sgt Kelly.

‘It was over a dispute relating to the bidding of cattle at Skibbereen mart a few weeks previously.’

The court heard that Mr Lordan declined to give a victim impact statement and was upset about the incident and the threatening words that followed and wanted to be left alone.

The court heard that Mr O’Regan, who works as a farmer and truck driver, has one previous road traffic conviction. Mr O’Regan’s solicitor, Plunkett Taaffe, said his client, who is married, had previously mentioned to Mr Lordan about a lot that he was planning to bid on at the mart.

However, he ended up being outbid by someone else. ‘It turned out that Mr Lordan had told someone else about my client’s plan to bid for the lot,’ said Mr Taaffe. On the day of the assault, the defendant met Mr Lordan and when he was asked to help with moving some cattle, the topic came up in conversation.

‘He challenged him and struck him.

‘There has been no further communication between them since and they know each other for years.’ Mr Taaffe said his client apologises for what happened and he was ‘under a lot of pressure’ at the time and that this incident was ‘isolated.’

Judge King noted that Mr Lordan had waited a long time before he made a complaint to the gardaí about the assault. He directed Mr O’Regan to contribute €500 to the court charity fund and applied the Probation Act.

‘I don’t expect to see you here again,’ said Judge King.