GAA star found guilty of assault

Former Down footballer James McCartan was today found guilty of deliberately breaking the jaw of a young Westmeath footballer during a challenge match.

At Dublin District Court Judge William Early said he had no doubt that Kenneth Larkin, 19, was telling the truth when he said that McCartan had turned around and hit him in the jaw.

“I do not for a moment believe that this story was invented by Kenneth Larkin. I’m sure it took considerable courage on the part of Kenneth Larkin to pursue this to court,” he said.

Judge Early said McCartan, who won All Ireland medals with Down in 1991 and 1994, was an impressive man with impressive achievements.

He added that McCartan had undoubtedly been greatly irritated by the style of marking in the challenge match at Newcastle GAA club in Dublin on May 25, 2003.

He believed McCartan’s actions may have been inspired by the pressure to return to the Down team at the end of his career.

“Having denied it from the start, he could not later admit the lie,” he said.

Judge Early described Gaelic football as a robust contact sport where injuries during play were an accepted part of the game. But he added: “To strike someone without legal justification is a crime whether it takes place in the street, in the family home or the football pitch or elsewhere.”

Counsel for McCartan requested additional time to prepare a response to the verdict.

Judge Early granted the request and said his attitude would be affected by any suggestion made by McCartan for restitution to Larkin.

The case will be heard again on Monday November 22, at 10.30am.