Three admit to Limerick assault

A judge said the bad blood between two Limerick families may have been brought to an end yesterday after three men admitted their…

A judge said the bad blood between two Limerick families may have been brought to an end yesterday after three men admitted their parts in an assault on a brother of the late Limerick alderman Michael Kelly.

Anthony Kelly (46) suffered a broken arm, a dislocated shoulder and received 18 stitches to his head after he was attacked in broad daylight by three men wielding wooden clubs and a hockey stick, Limerick Circuit Court heard this week.

Patrick Casey (50), James Casey (27) and Simon Casey (25), all with addresses at Clonlong, Southill, Limerick, had initially denied assaulting Mr Kelly.

However, the jury in the trial was discharged yesterday after all three changed their pleas to guilty, and were given two-year suspended sentences.

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Judge Carroll Moran was told that there had been difficulties between the Casey and Kelly families. However, Mr Kelly told the court that he had been given an undertaking by Patrick Casey that there would be "no more hassle".

Before imposing sentence yesterday, Judge Moran said the guilty plea "is likely to have resolved the bad blood between the two families, and brought the enmity to an end".

Speaking after the case, Mr Kelly said he was happy with the outcome.

"I'm happy the way the case finished. The difficulties between the two families have been resolved.

"It will be very good for our family and very good for Southill. There's peace up there now, and we're very happy with that."