BARRISTER DIARMUID PHELAN is being sued by a neighbour in Co Wexford, whose previous assault charge against the law professor was dismissed earlier this year to protect Phelan’s right to a fair trial.

Papers filed in the High Court this week show that Phelan’s former neighbour, Kevin McHale has brought a personal injuries action against Phelan, 57, who is also known as Diarmuid Rossa Phelan.

McHale is being represented by Harringtons LLP, a Dublin-based law firm specialising in personal injury cases.

Separately, Phelan, a lecturer at Trinity College Dublin, was acquitted of murdering 35-year-old Keith Conlon at Hazelgrove Farm, Kiltalown Lane, Tallaght, earlier this year.

In June of this year, McHale’s previous assault charge against Phelan was dismissed by Judge William Aylmer at a special sitting of Wexford District Court on the grounds of a delay in having it brought to hearing and a lack of CCTV footage.

The case had been adjourned on a number of occasions.

Defence counsel Justin McQuaid BL said that while the assault took place on 26 August 2021, Phelan was not notified of a complaint until 15 December, when Garda John Coughlan texted him.

Potentially critical video evidence was also not available to exonerate Phelan because he had not been notified of the complaint in time, it was argued.

The court also heard that a previous allegation made against Phelan has proven to be false when gardaí looked at dashcam footage from the same day.

Phelan had denied assaulting his neighbour, saying he was acting in self defence.

Phelan declined to comment, and McHale’s legal team have not responded to request for comment.

With additional reporting from Brendan Furlong