A Judge has requested that Pavee Point be contacted to mediate between two feuding families in Cork as she expressed doubts about a peace deal which a number of accused men claim has been brokered.
Judge Mary Dorgan asked if Pavee Point, the Traveller representative organisation, had been involved in brokering the peace deal between the Faulkner and O’Brien families.
When she heard they had no involvement, she said contact should be made with the organisation to request it to mediate and independently confirm the existence of any peace deal.
Judge Dorgan made her comments at Cork District Court after hearing how members of the two feuding families had allegedly engaged in violent disorder at a Cork supermarket where customers were left terrified as men chased down the aisles swinging baseball bats and pickaxe handles.
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Det Garda Aidan Forrest of Blarney Garda station outlining his objection to bail for one of the accused, Charlie Faulkner (18), told the court that there was strong evidence against the accused as the incident at Supervalu Hollyhill in Cork on January 6th had been captured on CCTV.
He said that at about 3.30pm, three members of the O’Brien family drove into the car park of Supervalu in Hollyhill and got out of their tipper truck and went into the supermarket and a short time later, three cars carrying 12 members of the Faulkner family pulled up in the car park.
“The occupants of vehicles exit, some carrying weapons ... Charles Faulkner is captured on CCTV exiting the front passenger seat of a silver Toyota Avensis. Jamie O’Brien alights from a Ford Tipper Truck with a baseball bat and starts running.
“Charlie Faulkner allegedly chases Jamie O’Brien around the car park initially before he follows Mr O’Brien inside Supervalu. Charlie is captured having an altercation with Jamie O’Brien inside the store down one of the aisles.
“He is then observed swinging a pickaxe handle at Jamie O’Brien who was hiding behind the counter/till area. He then runs from the shop and gets into a black Passat which leaves the scene at speed,” said Det Garda Forrest.
Solicitor for Charlie Faulkner, Aoife Buttimer, put it to Det Garda Forrest that a peace deal had been agreed among the two feuding families at 11am on Friday morning but Det Garda Forrest said gardaí only learned of this after they arrested Charlie Faulkner and four other people in relation to the feud.
Court presenter Sgt John Kelleher put it to Charlie Faulkner in the witness box that the peace agreement was reported by both sides in the feud in postings on Facebook but that this was motivated by a desire to prevent various parties from being put into custody.
Charlie Faulkner said that the deal had been brokered by other families.
Judge Dorgan said that she wanted independent verification from Pavee Point. “I am not satisfied there is any probative evidence that the peace allegedly brokered has in fact been brokered,” she said.
Judge Dorgan remanded Charlie Faulkner of Meadow Park Avenue, Ballyvolane, Cork in custody on a violent disorder charge until January 14th when she will review his bail application if Pavee Point can assist in either verifying the peace deal or mediating in the dispute.
She refused bail In the case of Michael Faulkner (26) of Garrydhu, Carrigaline, Co Cork and remanded him to appear again on January 14th while she granted bail with conditions to Michael Faulkner (20) of Curraheen Close, Bishoptown, Cork to appear on April 1st on the same violent disorder charge.
Another defendant, Jamie O’Brien (33) of Ardmore Avenue, Knocknaheeny was reserving his position on bail on the violent disorder charge until Tuesday in light of the judge’s decision on requiring the assistance of Pavee Point’s mediation services, said his solicitor, Donal Daly.
A fifth accused, Michael John O’Brien (22) of Ard Na Bhaile, Buttevant, Co Cork was granted bail with conditions attached on a different charge of causing criminal damage to a house at Garrydhu, Carrigaline on January 6th and he was remanded to appear again on April 2nd.
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