Wednesday night of this week was marked by an escalation of violence between two feuding families in Mullingar, which saw the destruction of property and a number of alleged assaults.
Gardai in Mullingar are investigating a spate of incidents of criminal damage and assault which took place in Mullingar on Wednesday night this week, all of which are described as being in connection with the ongoing feud between two families in the town.
According to Sgt Kieran Williams of Mullingar Garda Station, the first incident occurred between 11.10pm and 11.30pm on Wednesday night, when a motor vehicle which belonged to members of one of the families involved in the feud was damaged at Trinity Cottages, Patrick Street, Mullingar. The car was parked outside a house in the area, and was vandalised by approximately five males. According to Sgt Williams, a large number of individuals gathered at the scene.
During this incident, a member of one of the families also claimed he was attacked by at least five members of the other family as he got into a car and tried to leave the scene. As a result, he lost control of the vehicle, which crashed into a wall.
Another person who was at the scene also made allegations that he was assaulted by the same group of individuals.
At 11.50pm on Wednesday night, a second incident took place at St Joseph’s Cottages, during which a vehicle belonging to one of the families was damaged and its windows broken.
In the early hours of Thursday morning, at approximately 2.40am, the front patio door and front window of a house in Ennell Court were broken by a number of people using forks and hatchets. According to Sgt Williams, after this incident gardai had to separate the two families from one another. He added that a lady was also threatened in her home later in the night.
Gardai have confirmed that as yet no one has been charged for any of Wednesday night’s incidents. “Statements have been taken from a number of individuals, and we will be speaking to the individuals involved and fully investigating the incidents,” said Sgt Williams.
As a result of Wednesday’s outbreak of violence, extra Garda patrols were carried out last night across the town, and will continue over the weekend.
