Dundalk court: Broke GAA player's jaw during match in Louth

A 29 year old man who broke the jaw of the player he was marking in a GAA match in County Louth, was last week given a two year suspended sentence at Dundalk Circuit Court.

Jack Butterly of Clonmore, Togher was convicted by a jury in April of assault causing harm at the grounds of Naomh Fionnbarra, Ballygassan, Annagassan on April 19th  2019.

The victim, who was playing for St. Fechin’s was returning to his position up the field for a kick out after the ball went wide, when without warning he received a punch to the left side of his face, audibly breaking his jaw.

He required surgery to fix it, including the removal of a wisdom tooth.

In a victim impact statement, which was read to the court in his absence last Friday, the injured party said he had waited a month to report the assault because had hoped it could have been handled by the GAA.

He said he hoped Mr. Butterly realizes that reckless behaviour is dangerous to other players, but added he would prefer that he did not receive a custodial sentence.

The Defence barrister outlined how his client, who had no previous convictions, had stopped playing football for a number of years, during which he fell into the abuse of alcohol and cocaine, which resulted in a four week inpatient rehab course in Smarmore private clinic.

He’s since resumed playing and works 12 hour days on his father’s dairy farm, and had €10,000 in court to show his remorse.
Judge Dara Hayes said what happened “was so far outside the rules of the game” and players are not entitled to punch “off the ball”.

However, he said he noted the investigating Sergeant believes the defendant is unlikely to come back before the courts.

He imposed a two year sentence suspended in its entirety on the defendant entering a good behaviour bond, and added he noted the victim’s hope that the GAA would be in a better position to deal with such matters, with more match officials but said, ”It’s not a matter for me to tell the GAA how to run their association”.