Courts / Dublin / Report
Judge orders Dubs star to go on anger management course
Summary
Diarmuid Connolly, a 25‑year‑old Dublin footballer, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Anthony Kelly, who sustained a fractured eye‑socket in an unprovoked attack at McGowan's pub in Phibsboro on 6 August 2012. Connolly had issued an unreserved apology, accepted by Kelly, and paid €5,000 to Barnardos and the Rape Crisis Centre, though Kelly declined compensation. Judge Patrick Clyne, after reviewing updated medical reports and Kelly's victim impact statement, described the assault as unprovoked and noted that Connolly's charitable donations exceeded the maximum fine the court could impose. The judge ordered Connolly to complete an anger‑management course and requested a certificate of completion, adjourned the case to May, and asked for a probation report. Connolly's offence carries a possible sentence of up to one year in prison.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Judge orders Dubs star to go on anger management course. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- August 6, 2012 Incident
- 2014-01-29 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: DUBLIN football star Diarmuid Connolly has been ordered to complete an anger-management course before he is sentenced for an unprovoked attack on a man in a pub.; But he also said the offence carried a possible prison sentence, and he told defence solicitor Michael Hanahoe, "I want your client to do an anger-management course and I want a certificate to say he has done it." He adjourned the case until a date in May and he also asked for a probation report to be prepared.
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