Several thousand euro in fines and suspended jail sentences have been handed down to 4 Athlone men who took part in a violent incident in Longford in 2019.
Bernard, Denis, Mick and Sammy McGinley appeared before Longford Circuit Criminal court this morning over the incident on the Dublin Road, Longford in June 2019.
At approximately 8.30 on the evening of the 3rd of June 2019, the four accused were involved in a large fracas at the Applegreen Filling Station on the Dublin road in the town. On the day in question, two elements of the McGinley family faced off in the forecourt of the garage, leading to violent scenes and possession of an item designed to harm.
All four men were charged with violent disorder, while Sammy McGinley (33) and Denis McGinley (37) were also charged with possession of an implement contrary to the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act, 1990.
Mick McGinley (21) and Bernard McGinley (23) were also charged with criminal damage and theft respectively.
Described as a feud related incident by attending Gardai, the fracas saw two windows of a van smashed and it's keys taken and dumped in a nearby bin. Appearing before Judge Keenan Johnson today, the four accused, who had each previously pleaded guilty to violent disorder were sentenced to suspended sentences and heavy fines. A lack of previous convictions, positive behaviour since the incident and the guilty plea lead Judge Johnson to mitigate the sentence.
Bernard McGinley was handed down a year's suspended sentence and a fine of 1,000 euro to be paid towards Longford Tidy Towns. Meanwhile the three other accused, Sammy, Denis and Mick McGinley each were sentenced to 18 month suspended sentences and a fine of 2,000 euro payable to Longford tidy towns. Arguments for the defence denied the incident was related to a feud and explained it was a once off internal family dispute.
