Longford man ‘unhappy’ with story ‘saw red’ and assaulted court reporter on street

A man, who recognised a court reporter who had published a recent court story and photograph featuring him, has admitted assaulting the journalist in Longford town as he was ‘unhappy’ with the publicity.

Jonathan Seagrave (52) of 28 Templemichael Glebe, Longford pleaded guilty at the local district court to the assault on complainant Liam Cosgrove on Main Street, Longford on the afternoon of March 15 last year.

Garda Sergeant Enda Daly, court presenter, said Gardaí received a report from Mr Cosgrove of an alleged assault that had just occurred moments earlier.

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Mr Cosgrove said he was walking on the footpath from the Longford Arms Hotel and as he was crossing the road outside Kenny’s clothes shop a man on a bicycle cycled at him and he thought the person on the bike was going to knock him over.

Sgt Daly stated Mr Cosgrove identified the person on the bike as Mr Seagrave and he ‘would have known him previously’ and he described the sequence of events in the lead up to the assault.

“Mr Cosgrove stated that the defendant cycled down to the Longford Arms Hotel, crossed the road and then cycled back up Main Street on the other side of the road making hand gestures.

“When he arrived at Grafton Court he stopped the bike and words were exchanged across the street between Mr Cosgrove and Mr Seagrave.

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“At this stage the defendant turned the bike and cycled across the street and it appeared again as if he was going to cycle into him, but instead he threw the bike on the ground and started squaring up to Mr Cosgrove forcibly grabbing his shirt forcing his drink to spill all over his clothes.”

Sgt Daly said CCTV footage was subsequently downloaded by Gardaí and the defendant could be seen cycling down Main Street and cycling into Mr Cosgrove.

Sgt Daly stated that the footage confirmed and verified everything outlined by the complainant.

“He can be seen on CCTV grabbing Mr Cosgrove’s T-shirt and then letting go again,” he added.

Mr Seagrave also appeared in relation to a public order breach arising out of an incident on October 31, last year.

The court heard Gardaí received a report of a man causing a disturbance on Ballymahon Street.

Officers went to the area and noticed the man was highly intoxicated and he was directed to leave the area but he failed to comply with Garda directions and he was arrested and charged.

Mr Seagrave had a total of 31 previous convictions.

Solicitor Diarmuid Quinn, defending, said his client had been ‘unhappy’ about a court story and a photograph of him taken by Mr Cosgrove which appeared online, but he stated his client now regretted the incident and he accepted Mr Cosgrove was just doing his job.

“He saw red at the time. He had relations living in the UK and they saw the article. He was intoxicated on the day and he does not even remember going up to him.”

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Mr Quinn said his client is hopeful of securing a place in Cuan Mhuire residential addiction treatment centre in the near future and he has been on a waiting list for several months.

“Thankfully judge, it’s been a quiet Christmas period for him,” he added.

Judge Bernadette Owens noted the defendant has pleaded guilty to the charges and she decided to remand Mr Seagrave on continuing bail until March 3 next with liberty to re-enter.

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