A gaelic footballer who broke an opponent’s jaw during a half-time break had his case struck out this week (January 15 ) when the judge heard his offer of compensation had been accepted by the injured party.
At a hearing on December 4 Keith Moore (26 ), of Valley Bungalows, Mullingar pleaded not guilty to a Section 3 charge of assault causing harm.
It had been alleged then that during the break in a division three league match between Mullingar Shamrocks and Moate All Whites in Hogan Park, Moate on May 31, 2012 the Mullingar defender Moore struck home full forward Niall Mackey in the face, breaking his jaw in two places, and knocking out a number of teeth.
Mackey spent the next five nights in Tullamore and St James’s hospitals, had two plates inserted into his face, was off work for four weeks, and was still seeing his dentist, the court last month was told.
Despite an absence of impartial witnesses from the hearing on December 4, Judge Seamus Hughes believed the weight of evidence was in Mr Mackey’s favour, and told Moore’s solicitor, Mr Eddie Tynan, that he might be amenable to deal with the case by way of “an ex gratia payment without prejudice”.
In court this week, Mr Tynan told the judge that “an agreed sum of compensation had been paid to the other side”, although he did not reveal what the figure was.
He continued that this payment had been accompanied by: “wholehearted apologies and a handshake. The relationship between the clubs has not been affected”.
Mr Brian O’Brien, solicitor for Mr Mackey, confirmed this, and Inspector Aidan Minnock told the judge the State supported the decision to strike out the case.
