TWO men have been charged in connection with an assault on a local councillor and his family, following what has been described as a ‘home invasion’ two years ago.
Kevin McLoughlin (35), from Monmurry Road, Brookeborough, is accused of assaulting Sinn Fein councillor Sheamus Greene and damaging his glasses.
It is further alleged that he assaulted the councillor’s wife and son.
McLoughlin is also charged with threatening to kill Cllr Greene’s son and sending a grossly offensive message of an indecent, obscene or menacing nature by claiming he would confront Cllr Greene’s son and assault him.
The co-accused, Nathan Moore (29), from Doneen Road, Tempo, is charged with assaulting Cllr Greene and his son.
McLaughlin and Moore deny the charges and are set to contest them at Enniskillen Magistrates Court.
The charges relate to an incident at Cllr Greene’s home on March 12, 2023.
It is understood the Coonian councillor only learned McLoughlin and Moore had been charged after they appeared in court.
Cllr Greene himself was arrested in the aftermath, as was his son, but was subsequently cleared of any alleged crime.
At the time, his solicitor Conor Salley said, “The arrested man was released on bail and subsequently made several outrageous allegations against Councillor Greene, which are denied in the strongest possible terms.”
Mr Sally stated at the time he had been given verbal assurances from the police that neither Cllr Greene nor his son would be arrested.
However, following allegations from one of the accused, both were arrested when three police cars arrived at their home at 6.30am on St Patrick’s Day, 2023. They were interviewed and released on bail.
Mr Sally said he then made “further representations as to these arrests being politically motivated.” He added, at the time, that Cllr Greene was considering civil action.
When contacted, a PSNI spokesperson insisted there was no political motivation but declined to answer any further questions.
To read more on this story see this week’s Fermanagh Herald. Can’t get to the shop to collect your copy? No problem! You can download a copy straight to your device by following this link… Subscribe to current edition