A verbal row over ‘silly stuff’ between two women outside a Conamara school during a scheduled transfer of children between a separated couple, then escalated into violence between two men.

Before Derrynea District Court was Adrian Stadnik of 27 An Garraí Gabhainn, Moycullen, Galway, who was charged with assaulting Patrick Lee outside Scoil Náisiúnta Leitir Mealláin, on the R374 in Leitir Mealláin on June 3, 2024.

Stadnik admitted punching Mr Lee but claimed it was an act of self-defence and to protect his partner, Priscilla Connolly Burke, an ex-partner and mother of three children with Mr Lee.

Before he was punched, Mr Lee had pushed Stadnik in the chest; Inspector Colm MacDonnchadha successfully argued that Stadnik’s punch was retaliatory, and it was not self-defence.

Stadnik said he did not pursue an assault case against Mr Lee for the push because “I didn’t need the aggro”.

Judge John King ruled that Ms Connolly Burke “caused the situation” by instigating a verbal altercation with Mr Lee’s current partner, Patricia Sullivan, and he said the two men “very foolishly” got involved.

The altercation occurred during a scheduled fortnightly swap-over of three children from Mr Lee and Ms Sullivan to Ms Connolly Burke and Stadnik.

The court heard Ms Connolly Burke confronted Ms Sullivan outside the school over a comment she had allegedly made about the state of repair of one of the child’s glasses.

Ms Sullivan said Ms Connolly Burke told her to “get out of the f*cking car and tell me to my face”. Ms Sullivan said she got out of the car and explained about the scratched lens. She said at the time she was two months pregnant with Mr Lee’s child, her first, but nobody else knew.

During the incident Ms Connolly Burke warned Ms Sullivan to “get my own family” and told her to “stop trying to take over my family”.

Mr Lee, the court heard, stepped in between the women, who were shouting at each other. Ms Connolly Burke claimed she was called a “muc lofa” (rotten pig) by Mr Lee as insults were exchanged.

Stadnik went over to the trio and told Mr Lee: “stay away from my woman,” to which Mr Lee replied: “I don’t want your woman.”

Stadnik does not speak Irish, but said he understood some of the curse words they were using, and he felt Ms Connolly Burke was threatened.

Mr Lee said he pushed Stadnik in the chest with one hand – not two closed fists, as claimed by Stadnik. This was because he had come “too close for comfort”.

Mr Lee was then punched in the face by Stadnik and fell to the ground.

Defence barrister Gary McDonald argued that his client Stadnik had used justifiable force in self-defence, and to defend his partner who claimed she was fearful of Mr Lee. He used his left hand, even though he was right-handed, which showed it was an instinctive, impulsive, defensive act.

Inspector MacDonnchadha argued it was not self-defence. He said Stadnik could have walked away after being pushed to defuse the situation, but he punched Mr Lee in retaliation for “pushing him and embarrassing him”.

While on the ground, Stadnik stood over Mr Lee, but Ms Connolly Burke ushered him away and told him to “leave it”.

They departed in the car with three children and the matter was reported to Garda Conor O’Droma, who confirmed, due to human error and a time lapse, CCTV footage of the incident was not available to the investigation.

Judge King said the State’s evidence was “compelling”, but Stadnik’s evidence was “not credible” and Ms Connolly Burke’s was “entirely not credible”.

He said he was entitled to convict Stadnik of assault. Judge King said if Stadnik donated €1,000 to the court poor box by April, he would apply the Probation Act.

Judge King also gave Stadnik – who had ten previous convictions for road traffic offences – a ‘Conditional Discharge’, meaning he must be of good behaviour for the next two years, or a harsher sentence could be imposed.