Published: Wednesday, 21st July, 2010 5:00pm

Terrorised family at bus stop in Virginia

The facial injury Patrick Cusack sustained when he was assaulted in Virginia, last February.
Pic by==: 97

Two young men who terrorised a family on a Sunday afternoon in Virginia while they were waiting for a bus appeared before the local district court on a number of charges.

Christy Bradley, Killyconny, Lisduff, Virginia, was charged with assaulting Patrick Cusack, Kerrie Ann Cusack and Garda Philip McGarry, at Main Street, Virginia, on February 21.

He was also charged with urinating in public, using or engaging in threatening behaviour and being intoxicated.

Anthony Smith, Ardlow, Virginia, was charged with assaulting Gda McGarry, as well as making a lewd and sexual gesture.

He was further charged with using or engaging in threatening behaviour and being intoxicated. Both defendants pleaded guilty to the charges.

Gda Philip McGarry said at 7.45pm he received a call from Ms. Cusack that her father was being attacked on Main Street, Virginia. He followed her to the scene and he found Patrick Cusack lying on the ground with Christy Bradley on top of him biting his forehead.

Gda McGarry pulled Bradley off him and forced him against a wall.

Mr. Bradley was extremely intoxicated and irate. He refused to co-operate and kept struggling. On one occasion he swung his arms at Gda McGarry and made a lunge at Mr. Cusack.

The garda was forced to use pepper spray.

Gda McGarry was then kicked in the back by Anthony Smith who then jogged away looked back and jeered.

As the garda held Christy Bradley, Mr. Smith came back towards him.

The court heard that the Cusacks had been waiting for a bus to take Ms. Cusack back to college in Enniskillen when the incident happened.

As they waited, Bradley took out his penis and began urinating beside them. Ms. Cusack got out of the jeep and asked him to pee elsewhere.

Bradley pushed the door and forced her back into the car. Smith then made masturbation gestures to Mr. Cusack's partner who was in the jeep.

Martin Cosgrove, solicitor for Bradley, said his client was 27 years old and the incident was totally out of character for him. He had been out drinking most of the day and was on his way home. Mr. Bradley had no explanation for what happened and could only apologise for it.

He had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and had not drank since the incident. His partner was due a baby shortly. He had €5,000 by way of compensation in court and had borrowed the maximum he could from the credit union.

Judge David Anderson directed that the €5,000 be paid to Mr. Cusack, he was also going to seek a Probation Report and he would defer any other penalty until September 21.

Garrett Fortune, solicitor for Smith, said his client had nothing to do with the assault on the Cusacks. He was 25 years of age and had not come to the attention of the Gardaí since the incident. Mr. Smith had received bad news about his mother and he went drinking all day.

He came out of the pub when he heard the commotion and he stupidly got involved. Mr. Smith had €1,000 in court by way of compensation and he wished to apologise for his behaviour and it would not occur again.

Judge Anderson directed that the €1,000 be paid to the Garda Benevolent Fund.

He would also seek a Probation Report for September 21 and would defer any other penalties until then.

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