A NIGHT of drinking and chatting late into the night, which resulted in an alleged assault saw two childhood friends – now in their 50s – facing each other across the courtroom at Limerick Circuit Court.
John Quinlan was on trial before a jury of six women and six men, charged with assault causing harm to Mike McCormack.
Both men grew up in Vale Avenue, Carew Park, where the defendant still lives and have been friends for more than 40 years.
Following a complicated trial, which lasted less than a week, the jury found Mr Quinlan not guilty of assault and he was acquitted.
Taking to the stand himself, Mr Quinlan, the defendant, said: “I’ve known him all my life (the complainant, Mr McCormack), since we were kids, we were very close friends when we were younger.”
The 52-year-old told the court: “His life took a different path to mine, he moved to Cork later in life and I didn’t see him so much.”
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The court heard that they reconnected and Mr McCormack called to Mr Quinlan’s house on April 20, 2025.
They were chatting, went to Tesco for alcohol and mixers and then drank and chatted into the night, before events took a turn.
Mr Quinlan said that Mr McCormack was going through a difficult time personally regarding his former wife.
They had arranged to meet on April 17, but Mr McCormack never turned up.
On the day in question, April 20, 2025, Mr Quinlan recalled: “I saw his camper van pulling up outside my house.”
The pair started drinking at around 7.30pm and he said they were chatting about “general life and his situation.”
Mr Quinlan said a third man, also a childhood friend, arrived later that evening and chatted and drank tea with them and left before the alleged assault.
However, this was contested by barrister John O’Sullivan for the prosecution.
He argued there was no mention of this man in earlier garda statements and he was first brought into the scenario as a witness.
It was Mr Quinlan’s evidence that Mr McCormack was “trying to force” him to read documents and that the other friend was helping to “calm the situation.”
He said the documents included personal emails, financial records and footage from a Ring doorbell – all relating to Mr McCormack’s former wife.
He described the atmosphere as being “very tense”. However, this was also contested by the prosecution, who argued that Mr Quinlan was not in fear, as he had willingly gone to get alcohol with the complainant.
As the night went on, Mr Quinlan said tensions rose and that he “was expecting him (Mr McCormack) at any minute to hit me from behind”.
Mr Quinlan said he asked the complainant to leave his home and that he was going in and out of the back of the house.
He told the court that he put Mr McCormack’s shoes and jumper outside and told him he was going to call the gardaí.
“I looked up and he was charging at me. His head and arm were in the back door and I slammed the door, as I pushed, he was slipping and I know I connected hard.
“The door opened and he was still coming at me, he fell out the door on top of me and he hit the ground. I was on top of him and his eyes were wide and he was foaming at the mouth. He made a noise, said my name and I closed the door and phoned the gardaí and an ambulance.”
He added: “At the time, I thought if he gets in, he’s going to kill me.”
He said he felt “very uncomfortable from the moment” that Mr McCormack walked into his house. Again, this was disputed by the prosecuting barrister John O’Sullivan BL.
Representing Mr Quinlan, barrister Donal Cronin BL, said: “You found yourself in a position where you had to use force.”
Mr Quinlan replied: “I was in fear of my life.”
Mr O’Sullivan challenged this saying: “This is rubbish and a lie.”
He added that the defendant told the jury he was in fear, but yet he got into the complainant’s van, went to Tesco and allowed him into his home.
Mr O’Sullivan put it to the defendant: “You sir were very annoyed with Mr McCormack as the night went on,” which Mr Quinlan disagreed with.
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Referencing photographs that were handed into the court, Mr O’Sullivan added: “The nature of injuries were such that you were not acting in self defence.”
The third man, who emerged as being in the house after the fact, gave evidence that Mr McCormack was “very agitated and was going in and out to smoke and was getting angry.”
He described Mr Quinlan as being “very calm and kind of the voice of reason.”
In response to questions from the prosecution about the history of friendship between the trio, he said: “I found myself between my two friends, which is a horrible situation.”
Mr O’Sullivan said: “I would suggest that you were not there on the night”, to which the witness replied: “I was 100% there and I swore on the Bible.”
The court heard that Mr Quinlan was arrested six months after the alleged assault.
In closing statements, Mr O’Sullivan BL for the prosecution described the trial as “an unfortunate case”.
He spoke about conflicting evidence and suggested that Mr Quinlan’s evidence about being in fear of his life was “a nonsense.”
Barrister for the defendant, Donal Cronin BL, told the jury that he is not disputing that his client used force against the complainant and that Mr McCormack was injured.
However, he argued that Mr McCormack misled the jury in his evidence and pointed out that they were being urged by the prosecution to disregard the evidence of the third man, on the basis that he wasn’t included in the garda investigation.
Mr Cronin said that the third friend was in “an unenviable position giving evidence in a matter concerning two lifelong friends.”
After one hour of deliberation, the jury of six men and six women found Mr Quinlan not guilty of assault causing harm and returned a unanimous verdict.
There was a large crowd of friends, family and neighbours supporting Mr Quinlan in the courtroom and they clapped when the verdict was given, and were told by Judge Colin Daly that the courtroom was “not a concert hall.”
Judge Daly thanked the jury for their time, dedication and service.