Pig-farmer Donal Connaughton granted bail pending appeal

Donal Connaughton, a pig farmer from Newtowncashel, County Longford, has been granted bail pending an appeal against his conviction. The Court of Criminal Appeal made the decision on 12 December 2013. Connaughton was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment last month by Judge Tony Hunt at Longford Circuit Criminal Court. He was found guilty in December 2012 of two counts of false imprisonment, two counts of threatening to cause serious harm, one count of assault, and two counts of criminal damage relating to an incident at a pig farm in Longford on 29 April 2010. He was acquitted of a further assault charge. Presiding Justice Adrian Hardiman said the court was influenced by the likelihood that Connaughton's sentence would expire before his appeal hearing. The appeal will proceed on grounds that jurors may have been influenced during trial. Gardaí investigated allegations made by Connaughton but the Director of Public Prosecutions directed no prosecution. Bail was granted on the same terms as those imposed before trial.