AN ORDER to evict a family of Irish travellers from a designated Gypsy and traveller site has been adjourned.

The McDonagh family moved onto the Newport City Council-owned Ellen Ridge Gypsy and traveller site, in Hartridge Farm Road, Newport, roughly one month ago.

And yesterday a hearing was held at Newport Civic and Family Court, where Jonathan Evans said the local authority sought an order to evict the family from the site.

He said: “The council's position is it is a straightforward matter. It is an order seeking possession of the council’s new Gypsy and traveller site which was previously unoccupied.

"The McDonagh family, who had applied and been unsuccessful and who have used the community law partnership to challenge those decisions, broke into the site on July 4. They have remained on the site since.

"The council said they are on there without its permission, with no legal right. The council wishes to seek possession to evict them from the site so it can be allocated to those who have a proper right to occupy it."

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He added that one family member had made a judicial review application to the High Court to challenge the council’s allocation policy for the site.

Judge Matthew Porter-Bryant then questioned whether family members involved in yesterday’s hearing could be affected by the potential success of that review.

If it were successful it would not necessarily "result in a pitch on the site" for the family, Mr Evans said.

But he added: "Equally, until that has been challenged and determined I cannot tell the court that it definitely won’t."

And speaking on behalf of the Irish traveller family, Emma Thompson asked the court for an adjournment, saying: “Mr McDonagh has told me that he has approached Travellers Advice Scheme for advice and assistance, and they are yet to receive confirmation that he is entitled to legal aid. He needs to provide bank statements. He can then apply for legal aid.

“We were going to ask for an adjournment to obtain that sufficient advice that they need.”

Judge Porter-Bryant said there was “a lot going on in the background” and again questioned the possible impact other proceedings could have on the current one.

He then made a 21-day adjournment and requested a statement from the McDonagh family which should detail ongoing proceedings and the possible effect of them.

The judicial review hearing is scheduled for September 3.