Assault charges incident ‘too serious’ for Kilkenny District Court hearing - judge

The judge at Kilkenny District Court has deemed a case involving multiple counts of assault and public order offences too serious for her court.

At a recent sitting of the court Judge Geraldine Carthy refused jurisdiction in a case of three co-accused women.

Before the court was Demi Donovan, 32 Togher Way, Urlingford, who is charged with assault, assault causing harm, a public order offence and criminal damage.

Also charged is Ellen Donovan, Graigueswood, Freshford, who is charged with assault, assault causing harm, violent disorder and making threats to kill or cause serious harm.

Nora Jackman, 3 St Mary’s Crescent, Hebron Road, Kilkenny, is the third co-accused. She is charged with assault, assault causing harm and violent disorder.

All charges arise from an incident alleged to have occurred on September 15 last, at Hebron Road.

Sergeant Morgan O’Connor told the court that footage of the incident had been recorded and shared to social media.

There are a number of alleged injured parties in the case, all members of the same family.

One of the injured parties, a woman, suffered bruising to her hand from an alleged kick, a garda said in court.
Another woman was taken to hospital by ambulance and suffered abrasions to her head and the side of her body, the garda added.

‘Shaken up’
He said both women were “lucky not to be more seriously injured.” The garda attended the scene and said both women were “shaken up.”
Four young children were also present when the alleged incident occurred, the garda said.

Refusing jurisdiction in the case, Judge Carthy said the matter must now go back to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Bail was extended for the three women and the matter was adjourned to April 8, 2025.