Ex-Dublin footballer Connolly pleads guilty to assault

Former Dublin footballer Diarmuid Connolly punched two men and dragged one of them along the ground in an "unprovoked" New Year's Eve attack, a court has heard.

Mr Connolly, 36, with an address at Collinswood in Beaumont, was accused of assaulting Stephen Grimes and Stephen Kiely at Shantalla Road in Santry, Dublin, on 31 December 2022.

He appeared at Dublin District Court to plead guilty before Judge Michele Finan. She ordered him to pay €2,000 compensation and adjourned sentencing until 27 June.

Garda Niamh Carolan said officers responded to an incident and attended the scene.

"Mr Kiely and Mr Grimes made statements and identified the suspected offender as Diarmuid Connolly," the garda said.

"Mr Kiely alleged that in an unprovoked assault, he was punched and dragged to the ground by Mr Connolly, resulting in Mr Connolly ripping a North Face jacket belonging to Mr Kiely."

"It was then reported that Mr Grimes came to the aid of Mr Kiely and was subsequently assaulted also, having received a punch to the right side of his face by Mr Connolly," she said.

The court heard a later garda interview with the accused "was of a no-comment nature".

However, CCTV evidence from the area that night was obtained.

Judge Finan asked if the two injured parties were present at the hearing and was told they had come to court.

However, prosecution solicitor Niall McGinty explained that they decided not to stay after learning about the course their attacker had taken.

The judge noted they suffered facial bruising and swelling but did not want to provide victim impact statements.

The assault charge in this case is in a category that could result in sentences of up to six months in prison per offence, but the judge noted that Mr Connolly had no recorded