Man claims county councillor punched and kicked him in the face
A man claims he was kicked in the face by a county councillor causing his nose and three of his teeth to be broken.
Seamus O'Donnell was giving evidence against Donegal County Councillor John O'Donnell at Letterkenny Circuit Court.
O'Donnell has gone on trial charged with assault causing harm to two men in two separate incidents.
John O'Donnell, from Kilmacrennan, appeared at Letterkenny Circuit Court today.
He is charged with assault causing harm to Emmet Gallagher, now aged 22, at the Sultan Takeaway in the early hours of the morning of February 23rd, 2015.
He is also charged with assault causing harm to another man Seamus O'Donnell, aged 29, at Gortlee, Letterkenny.
Mr O'Donnell, aged 37, has pleaded not guilty to both charges.
Seamus O'Donnell told the court how he had to have his nose "packed" on three different occasions after being sent to Sligo General Hospital from Letterkenny University Hospital the day after the attack.
Mr O'Donnell claims he approached John O'Donnell after his friend Emmett Gallagher was punched by Mr O'Donnell in the Sultan Takeaway.
He admitted asking Mr O'Donnell, "What the f*** did you hit the wee boy for?"
Barrister for John O'Donnell, Mr John Berry said the fact that Mr Seamus O'Donnell used an expletive in his query brought a tone of aggression to the conversation.
Mr Berry put it to Mr Emmett Gallagher that there was a lot of drink taken on the night.
"There was drink involved as you said. You wouldn't be saying that if there was a single sherry or a small glass of wine involved," he said.
Mr Gallagher agreed.
Earlier in the case, Mr Gallagher also said that he had been punched in the face by John O'Donnell in the Sultan Cafe.
Another friend of the injured men, Paddy Gallagher said he did not really see a fight between John O'Donnell and Seamus O'Donnell but did see John kicking Seamus.
"No I didn't see the fight, just scuffling but I saw the kick. I know what I witnessed. It was four years ago but you'll always remember something like that," he said.
The case is expected to last three days.
