Kildare councillor hits out at men who threw barbecue sauce at his wife and sister-in-law

A councillor from Kildare has criticised the men who committed a cruel "prank" on his wife and sister-in-law.

Social Democrat Cllr Bill Clear explained that his wife Anne-Marie and her sister Catherine were going for a walk at the Sallins Road, near the Hollywood Park Junction in Naas on Sunday evening, between 8pm and 8.10pm.

"A silver Volkswagen Golf pulled up, with full grown men inside it, and threw a large tub of what appears to be barbecue sauce over my wife and her sister, which got onto their clothes and on their faces," Cllr Clear said.

He added that the incident has been reported to the gardaí, and that the tub which housed the sauce has been recovered.

Gardaí have also confirmed that the matter is being investigated.

Cllr Clear admitted that he is angry at the incident: "They did it because they were two women; it's obvious they wouldn't have done it to a man."

Cllr Bill Clear, Social Democrats

Cllr Clear also described the incident as "an instance of bullying" and further referred to it as being "disheartening," especially in light of recent alleged attacks on women in Kilkenny and Sligo.

He also pointed to the murder of Tullamore teacher Ashling Murphy: "My wife and sister were deeply affected by (the murder of) Ashling Murphy.

"They used to go walking at the canal, but no longer feel safe there, so they try to stick to the main street."

Cllr Clear said by asking anyone who may have dashcam footage of the area between 8pm and 8.10pm to send it in to Naas Gardaí.

"It's important to call out this type of behaviour... it's just not acceptable," he concluded.

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