58 year old Frank Roche of Ballyadeen, Castletownroche was previously convicted of assault at a sitting of Fermoy District Court in November.
Councillor Frank Roche had denied assaulting his brother David Roche and David’s son Colm in 2020.
The incident happened at Ballyadeen in Castletownroche on the 18th of January 2020 and Judge Alex Gabbett heard it was in relation to a long-running land inheritance dispute.
The court heard that Frank Roche’s father had split the family farm between two of his sons and left Frank Roche with a site for a house.
David Roche told the court that Frank Roche had grabbed his son in a headlock on the day in question and had tried to pull him out through the window of a 4x4.
Frank Roche then punched his nephew and brother.
Judge Gabbett said Roche had ‘an anti-authoritarian attitude’ and handed him a four month sentence which he suspended for 20 months.
