Stephen O'Reilly loses appeal against assault convictions

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Stephen O'Reilly's appeal against convictions for assault and other offences was dismissed by the Court of Appeal on 30 July 2018.

The convictions arose from an incident at a home in Clara, County Offaly, on 7 May 2016, involving assaults, criminal damage and producing an article capable of causing serious injury.

The court held that the trial judge was entitled to admit an earlier witness statement after the witness withdrew it and gave materially inconsistent evidence.

The trial jury had found O'Reilly guilty on six counts, while the trial judge directed acquittals on two further public-order counts. He had received a seven-year sentence, with the final two years suspended.