No conviction for rugby player if he pays victim €10k

A Limerick rugby player who lost his professional contract after attacking a man during a poker game has avoided a conviction on condition he pays €10,000 to his victim.

Neilus Keogh, aged 27, formerly of Milltown Hall, Mount St Annes, Milltown, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm on Michael Frisby, aged 57, at The Sporting Emporium, Anne’s Lane, Dublin 2, on April 5, 2012.

On his last court appearance in February 2014, Judge Patrick McCartan ordered Keogh to undergo anger management counselling and to return with €10,000 to show “real remorse”.

Keogh, originally from Limerick, signed a contract with Nottingham RFC in June 2013 worth £1,700 per month. There was a clause in the contract that it would terminate if he was convicted.

Ronan Kennedy, defending, said that despite not receiving a conviction, his contract was not renewed last year due to the “adverse publicity” of the case. Keogh now works as a labourer in London.

Keogh was playing cards with eight people in the Sporting Emporium Casino where he was a regular. When he lost money in a hand, he stood up and, out of the blue, hit Mr Frisby in the face and threw a chair down on top of him.

Mr Frisby suffered three broken bones in his face and damaged nerves around his mouth. An operation was required to insert two metal plates in his face.