Gort farmer found guilty of attacking Anne Rabbitte by throwing cow dung at her

A judge has convicted a Gort farmer of assaulting junior minister Anne Rabbitte by throwing a sealed bag of cow dung at her during a public meeting.

At Ennis District Court today, Joseph Baldwin, 39, was found guilty of the assault at a public meeting at O ​​Sullivans Hotel in Gort on January 4 last year.

Speaking outside Ennis Courthouse this afternoon, Minister Rabbitte acknowledged that as a politician you expect difficult debates at all times.

But she said the line was crossed that night, that she was happy the case was successful, and that it was the end for her.

Judge Alec Gabbett adjourned Joseph Baldwin’s sentencing until December, to allow him to work with probation services so a report could be completed.

Earlier today, Justice Gabbett said the best evidence in the case was CCTV which showed the sealed bag of cow dung did not hit Minister Rabbitte, but showed her moving to avoid.

During her testimony last month, Minister Rabbitte cried in the witness box as she recalled the incident in which a bag was thrown in the direction of Deputy Ciaran Cannon, but did not land.

Minister Rabbitte claims that Mr. Baldwin then said, “I haven’t forgotten you, there’s one for you Rabbitte,” and then threw a bag at him.

Mr. Baldwin says he never intended to harm anyone and thought this might be a way to make two government officials understand that they were not helping or n were not listening to the community.

He said: “I make no apologies because I believe all I was doing was putting the community’s point of view out there and I didn’t hurt anyone in the process. »