Man denies trying to hit brother with van

A Clonmel man is on trial at Waterford Circuit Court over allegations that he threatened his brother with a sawn-off shotgun and tried to hit him with a van. 

Paul Lynch (60), of Cashel Close, Clonmel, Co Tipperary, pleaded not guilty to three charges: Section 3 assault, endangerment with a vehicle, and producing an article during the course of a dispute, in this case, a shotgun.

The alleged victim Brian Lynch gave witness testimony at the court before Judge Eugene O'Kelly and a jury of 11 men and one woman.

On the evening of July 29, 2021, Brian Lynch was entering his home at Glenpatrick, Rathgormack, Co Waterford when he heard the sounds of footsteps on stone, at first thinking the sounds were coming from his neighbours' dog. 

When he turned around he saw a man by the passenger door of his vehicle. The figure was wearing a balaclava, holding a gun and ordering Brian to "get in the f***ing van".

In shock, Brian took off running on the Glenpatrick road, with his phone in hand. After running some distance in the dark, he called Clonmel Garda Station for help. 

As he stood on the road, he saw a van approach, allegedly the white Ford Transit Connect van, "the last car I wanted to see", as he described it in court. 

Brian said: "The car charged at me, it clipped me, I fell, I picked myself up."

The driver of the vehicle made several more attempts at hitting Brian on the road, according to his testimony. 

The driver got out of the vehicle and hit Brian multiple times in the head, and said: "Put the money in my account or you're a dead man,", before getting back into the van and driving away.

In court, State prosecutor Conor O'Doherty BL asked Brian if he knew who the masked figure was, to which he replied: "I knew who it was, it was Paul. I knew the voice right away."

The partner of the defendant confirmed that she was at Paul's house until shortly before 11pm that evening. The couple were watching TV when Paul announced that he was going to Cycologist, a bicycle repair shop, to pick up tools for work the next morning. The woman left the house 10-15 minutes afterwards and returned to her own home, and went to bed. 

At approximately 3am she missed a call from Paul. When she awoke minutes later she read a text from Paul stating that the Gardaí have "been on" to him.

In the text exchange, Paul texted that his brother "got a trimming".  When asked if Brian was ok, Paul responded: "I don't know what happened nothing to do with me" followed by "I don't know and I don't care".

The brothers are believed to have had a difficult relationship regarding the recent death of their mother and conflicts over inheritance. 

The trial continues.