Bundoran local election candidate has conviction overturned following judicial review

A former local election candidate has had a conviction for using insulting, threatening and abusive behaviour overturned following a judicial review to the High Court, Donegal Circuit Court was told.

36-year-old Joseph McNulty, Doran Close Bundoran had been convicted after a “ ten day ” hearing in Ballyshannon District Court in March last year.

He had pleaded not guilty to the charge, following an alleged incident with the late Fianna Fail Councillor Sean McEniff in the car park of Bundoran Town Council on February 10 2014.

Mr McEniff was not before the district court on any charge.

He did not attend the district court to give evidence owing to very poor health following an incident abroad.

Charge quashed 

At today’s Donegal Town Circuit Court, Johnnie McCoy, defence counsel for Mr McNulty told the court that the charge against Joseph McNulty had been quashed following a High Court judicial review.

Mr McCoy is also representing Mr McNulty’s parents 57-year-old Thomas McNulty, Main Street, Bundoran and 56-year-old Florence McNulty, The Palace, Main Street Bundoran.

Florence McNulty was convicted of assaulting Garda Helen Munnelly,  in the same alleged incident while her husband Thomas McNulty was convicted of using insulting, threatening and abusive behaviour arising from the same incident.

Both Thomas McNulty and Florence McNulty pleaded not guilty to the charges at the district court.

They are appealing against those convictions to Donegal Town Circuit Court.

Florence McNulty. She and her husband Thomas McNulty , had pleaded not guilty at Ballyshannon District Court to charges which they are now appealing at Donegal Town Circuit Court

When the cases were called at today’s sitting, defence counsel Mr McCoy said the conviction against Joseph McNulty was quashed after a High Court judicial review.

He added that the other two alleged cases against Mr and Mrs McNulty could take quite some time after a “ten-day” hearing in the district court.

Judge John Aylmer said it might be a case that could be heard in a special sitting.

The case was put back to the next term.