Father lost control when headbutting GAA coach at U10s training session

Gordon Deegan

A father lost control when headbutting a GAA coach in front of young children playing hurling at an under-10s training session in east Clare in May of last year, a court has heard.

At Killaloe District Court sitting in Ennis, Maurice Crotty (43) has pleaded guilty to the assault of juvenile hurling coach, Aidan Fleming at Smith O’Brien’s GAA club, Abbey Street, Killaloe on May 29th last contrary to Section 2 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997.

Judge Alec Gabbett told the court: "This man has pleaded guilty to headbutting a coach on a pitch in front of children at an u-10 training session. It is extremely serious.”

Solicitor, Tara Godfrey for Mr Crotty of Millstream, Killaloe, told the court that on the day “unfortunately emotions ran high”.

She said: “Mr Crotty did make admissions and he did plead guilty and he has accepted that his behaviour was intolerable but there was a context to this and there was a long, slow build to this and unfortunately Mr Crotty did lose control.”

Judge Gabbett initially questioned why Mr Crotty was before the court on a minor assault summons rather than a more serious assault causing harm charge.

However, after reviewing a medical report handed into court, Judge Gabbett said that Mr Fleming’s “minor bruising" from the headbutt assault “was all resolved”.

Judge Gabbett said: “It is a minor offence in the district court. It is being prosecuted under a summons which says a lot and there is a good Probation Report.”

Judge Gabbett said that what happened “was out of the norm for Mr Crotty and he saw red but there are consequences from that”.

Judge Gabbett said that the Probation Report in the case found at interview, Mr Crotty did acknowledge that he acted inappropriately and regretted committing the offence before the court.

Judge Gabbett said that it was of some concern to the Probation Officer in the case that Mr Crotty felt that he had no choice but to commit the assault.

Judge Gabbett said that Mr Crotty “essentially lost his temper” because of his belief concerning some alleged bullying incident that happened with children.

Judge Gabbett said that the Probation Report states that there was no evidence that the injured party had targeted Mr Crotty’s son but that Mr Crotty became agitated and was adamant that he had.

Judge Gabbett told the court: "Mr Crotty is still very upset about this alleged incident with the son.”

Judge Gabbett said that the Probation Officer also felt that Mr Crotty “minimised his actions by referring to the head-butt as a rub of heads and downplayed the fact that it occurred in front of small children at a training session”.

Judge Gabbett said: “That is why Mr Crotty is at a moderate risk of re-offending.”

In considering sentence, Judge Gabbett said: “I have to think about children’s safety and children witnessing this kind of thing at pitch side is not appropriate.”

Judge Gabbett said that the Probation Report shows that Mr Crotty has a long work history and no previous convictions for assault.

Ms Godfrey said that Mr Crotty is in a stable long term relationship “and there hasn’t been anything else like this before and there has been nothing like this since."

Judge Gabbett said that the one "crucial" missing part of the case was a victim impact statement from the injured party in the case and adjourned sentencing to June 3rd for Mr Fleming to provide a victim impact statement to court.