A hillwalker has appeared in court over the alleged assault of a landowner in Co Wicklow earlier this year.
Ray Murphy (53) with an address at Ballindinas, Barntown, Co Wexford is charged with assaulting Pat Dunne at Glenmalure, Co Wicklow on March 19th contrary to Section 2 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997.
At a sitting of Bray District Court on Tuesday, Mr Murphy’s solicitor, Brendan Maloney, said it was his client’s first appearance in relation to the charge and he was seeking “full disclosure” of evidence in the case by the prosecution.
Mr Murphy, who appeared in court on foot of a summons, sat in the back of the courtroom and was not required to address the brief hearing.
Judge David Kennedy granted the order for disclosure sought by the defence and adjourned the case until January 16th.
On that date, Mr Murphy will be required to enter a plea to the assault charge.
If the accused decides to plead “not guilty” to the offence, the judge is likely to fix a trial date for later in 2024.
Following the alleged incident in March, Mr Dunne, a sheep farmer from Glenmalure, Co Wicklow, withdrew permission for the public to walk across his lands.
The farmer’s property, which provides walkers with access from the base of Carrawaystick Waterfall towards Lugnaquilla, the tallest mountain in Leinster, is on the route of a popular hiking trail known locally as the ZigZags.
