Limerick hurler Pat Ryan wins appeal over perjury conviction

A former Limerick senior hurler has successfully appealed a jail sentence after being convicted of perjury earlier this year.

Pat Ryan from Doon appeared at Limerick Circuit Court after completing 100 hours of community service.

The three-time All-Ireland winning hurler left court hastily without a conviction or sentence against him as Judge Tom O'Donnell allowed his appeal.

Earlier this year, he pleaded guilty to lying under oath when he told a court in October 2020 that he had not received a summons for a speeding offence.

Gardaí later discovered a photo of the speeding notice sent from Mr Ryan's mobile phone to a third party.

District Court Judge, Patricia Harney said that Mr Ryan had told a "brazen lie" that went to the core of the administration of justice. She imposed a two-week jail sentence at the time.

There was an appeal for leniency saying that Mr Ryan was ignorant of the law and had gone into court without taking legal advice.

A jail sentence would have life-changing consequences for him the court was told at the time. He was part of one of the most successful hurling teams in the country. A sentence would have a tremendous impact on his life and his ability to travel.

At an earlier hearing of Mr Ryan's appeal, Judge Tom O'Donnell indicated he might impose a community service order in lieu of prison.

Today, Judge O’Donnell said the law was one thing and justice was another.

He said that what Mr Ryan had done was "very wrong, no doubt about it" but he said that given the "highly unusual circumstances" of the case, as well as the "enormous publicity" the case had received in the media, he had serious concerns that the impact of a conviction of this nature would be wholly disproportionate.

The judge said that Mr Ryan had