Female duo get more time to consider plea over alleged fight outside courthouse
Two women charged with a violent feud-related row outside Mullingar Courthouse this year have been given a further three months to enter a plea.
Rebecca Nevin, 50 Ennell Court, Park Street, Mullingar, Westmeath, and Mary Daly, Oak View, Clara, Offaly, appeared at last week’s sitting of Mullingar District Court in relation to an incident at Mount Street, Mullingar, on March 13, 2025.
They had previously appeared before the same court some two months earlier, when directions from the DPP were made known.
The state prosecutor’s office had consented for “summary disposal”, a legal phrase allowing the case to proceed before a District Court on the basis the state evidence was acceptable to the presiding Judge.
On that occasion, it was stated the pair were arrested following a verbal altercation that had erupted inside the courthouse and which also involved members of a rival faction.
The court was told it will be alleged that as members of that family were leaving the court grounds, Rebecca Nevin grabbed a young woman “by her hair and dragged her to the ground”.
The state case, which led to jurisdiction being accepted, also alleged Mary Nevin then grabbed the young woman’s mother by the hair and “dragged her around” as she tried to help her daughter.
Both women reappeared last Thursday, when the case had been due to proceed before Judge Owens.
John Shanley, defence solicitor for both women, said there had been a mix-up in relation to the disclosure of the state evidence and, as a result, he was not in a position to progress matters any further. He suggested adjourning the case to this Thursday, November 27.
Judge Owens, however, in view of ever lengthening weekly court lists, said there would be no possibility of a short remand. “I am finding we are starting a 2pm summons list at 6pm,” she said.
The judge remanded both women on bail to Mullingar District Court on February 5 and marked the case “peremptory” against the two accused.