Trio face lengthy community service orders over ‘very violent’ street brawl in the Midlands

Three defendants are facing lengthy community service spells after the trio pleaded guilty to a violent brawl which spilled onto the streets of Longford town just over a year ago.

Patryk Mikitow (26), 39 Alderfield, Longford, Ben Curry (22), Fossagh, Mount Temple, Moate, Co Westmeath and Mary Nevin (38), 3 Camlin Mews, Longford were all told they face lengthy spells of community service following the incident on May 1, 2022.

Polish born father of one Mikitow and co accused, Curry were both charged with violent disorder while mother of three, Nevin was charged with affray.

A fourth man, David Nevin (inset) (19) of 8 Camlin Meadows, Farneyhoogan Longford, was sentenced last October to 14 months in prison for violent disorder.

The court was shown CCTV footage of the incident which initially took place in the surrounds of Longford Shopping Centre before extending down to Five Star Pizza along the county town's Main Street.

Prosecuting counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Shane Geraghty BL, said the incident first arose shortly before 8pm.

Judge Keenan Johnson was told of how David Nevin was spotted “exchanging verbals” with another group of youths before throwing a right handed punch at one of the party.

A security guard on duty at the time, in a statement provided to gardaí, told of witnessing “pushing and shoving” resulting in gardaí being alerted.

Camera footage taken from the scene appeared to show Mr Nevin pointing his finger at Mr Mikitow as the latter attempted to step between the former and a man who was allegedly assaulted.

Mr Geraghty said one of the alleged victims in the case was allegedly assaulted out of view of the cameras.

Three other men, one of whom included Mr Nevin and two other men not before the courts, could be seen walking back to an address in the Camlin Mews area.

In the meantime, Mr Mikitow, who was identified on camera wearing a white baseball cap and red tracksuit approached the shopping centre security guard to inform him of the commotion which was continuing to unfold.

A number of minutes later, it was alleged a group of young males, one of which was said to be Mr Mikitow descended on the home of Mary Nevin.

Ms Nevin, the court was told, was in her dressing gown, doing household chores and tending to a fire at the time.

It was later claimed she left the house in haste after receiving word that her daughter had been involved in an altercation, causing her to leave the house armed with a long wooden stick.

A further stand off unfolded seconds later outside the shopping centre doors where, it was alleged, David Nevin struck Mr Mikitow on the head with a hammer.

Ben Curry, it emerged, was also identified as being among the group sporting a purple bandana and blue coat.

As the level of violence appeared to intensify, Mr Curry was observed running off in the direction of Chapel Street.

In his attempts to flee, Mr Curry was pursued by Mr Mikitow into the Five Star Pizza restaurant.

Mr Geraghty said in Mr Curry's attempts to run down Garvey's Lane, the homeless 22-year-old slipped and inadvertently stabbed himself in the leg with a knife he had concealed in his waistband.

With nowhere to go, Mr Curry darted into the takeaway chased all the while by Mr Mikitow.

A scuffle inside the premises took place seconds later with the handle of the knife Mr Curry had armed himself with breaking as a result.

Mr Curry, it was alleged, then ran out a side door and into the presence of Sgt Darren Conlon who had been making his way towards the premises at the time.

Mr Geraghty said Mr Mikitow, in an interview carried out in August 2022 gave a “fullsome” version of events with Mr Curry also offering up a “full narrative” to gardaí.

Garda Scanlon said Mr Curry, who was homeless at the time and “couch surfing” at a house in the Camlin Mews area, admitted having the knife for his own protection after waking up to shouting.

In her statement given to gardaí in the aftermath of the incident, Mary Nevin said she had simply reacted in instinctive fashion on the day of the incident.

“It was madness,” she said.

“I didn't purposely bring the stick. I was at the fire when my daughter rang me.”

In defence, Nicola Delaney for Mr Mikitow, said the court had already identified David Nevin as being the “main protagonist” and insisted her client's acions on the day were merely a “spontaneous” reaction to what was unfolding around him.

Niall Flynn BL, in defence of Mary Nevin, tendered a similar case of mitigation, adding the Longford woman's decision to leave her home in a dressing gown and with a stick was in response to concerns over the welfare of her daughter.

“She believed her actions were in self defence,” he said, stressing also how Ms Nevin's actions, while “totally out of character”, were also best summed up by how she had not come to the attention of gardaí in the interim.

Andrea Callan BL, defending for Mr Curry said her client had somewhat more of a “peripheral role”.

She said he had simply got separated from the group he was with and “took flight” into the restaurant in an attempt to escape the attentions of Mr Mikitow.

She said the accused was someone with a nomadic lifestyle who had only arrived in Longford four months prior to the incident.

Ms Callan also agreed with Judge Johnson's assertions that Mr Curry, while emotionally intellegent, was a prime example of an individual who had “fallen through the cracks” of society.

He described the incident as both “very violent” and one that would not be tolerated in that it took place in full view of shocked bystanders.

He told all three they would be assessed for the suitability of 240 hours of community service to be undertaken by each of the accused.

Mr Mikitow and Ms Nevin were remanded on continuing bail to a sitting of Longford Cicuit Court on May 9 while Mr Curry, who was in custody, was likewise remanded to the same date for the purposes of a probation report.