Two footballers who carried out “appalling assault” in Dublin to be sentenced early 2023

Two semi-professional footballers from Scotland who carried out an “appalling assault” during a night out in Dublin will be sentenced in early 2023.

Liam Callaghan (27) and Craig Johnston (27) both pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and obstruction in Dublin city centre on December 8th, 2019.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that the defendants, who are both semi-professional footballers with Scottish club Montrose FC, attacked the victim following an altercation at a nightclub.

Both defendants have addresses in Fyfe, Scotland. They are cousins and each have one previous conviction from Scotland.

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Judge Orla Crowe said an “appalling assault” had been carried out on the victim who was “blameless” in relation to the defendants.

The defendants each offered €2,000 as a gesture of remorse, which the victim was willing to accept.

Adjourning the sentencing to January 20th, 2023, Judge Crowe said the expression of remorse offered was not sufficient, given their work histories, to show the “level of sincerity warranted”.

Garda Emmet Hayde gave evidence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that on the night in question, the victim and his partner stopped at Xico on Baggot Street at about 1am for a drink before heading home after an evening out.

While at the bar, the victim was involved in an altercation with a colleague of Callaghan and Johnston and was asked to leave the bar.

The couple were walking on Lower Baggot Street towards St Stephen’s Green to get a taxi at about 2am when the victim heard shouts behind him.

He turned around to see what was happening and was punched in the jaw by a man, who from CCTV footage appeared to be Callaghan.

A passerby attempted to intervene to stop the assault.

Johnston then arrived and, along with Callaghan, tried to get at the victim.

The passerby took the victim down Ely Place to try to get away, but the defendants followed and continued their attack.

One of them picked up a traffic cone and swung it at the victim.

A Garda public order unit was in the area and observed the assault.

They also saw one of the defendants hit the victim with a box, which caused his head to bounce off the ground.

The defendants attempted to flee, but were apprehended by gardaí.

The victim was taken to hospital where he was treated for injuries to his face, lower leg and ankle. He required three surgeries to his ankle. His left eye socket was also fractured, but he sustained no serious injury to his eye.

Photos of the victim’s injuries and CCTV footage of the incident were shown to the court.

Prosecuting counsel read the victim impact statement to the court. The victim said his “Christmas was ruined” by the attack, which had also caused bouts of depression and anxiety in crowds.

The victim said he had missed opportunities to work abroad and suffered an economic loss of more than €6,000 due to this incident.

Garda Hayde agreed with defence counsel that neither defendant had come to any negative Garda attention since this incident. He also accepted that an altercation had taken place between the victim and a colleague of the defendants at Xico.

Garda Hayde told Karl Monahan BL, defending Callaghan, that gardaí were not initially aware of the altercation at Xico.

Gardaí also sought CCTV from Xico, but this was not available.

Mr Monahan read a letter to the court from the defendants’ colleague, who gave their account of the altercation at the bar.

Mr Monahan said this incident at Xico had been on Callaghan’s mind, though his reaction was disproportionate.

Judge Crowe said Callaghan’s reaction was “completely disproportionate” as he had followed the victim on to a public street.

This individual was not known to investigating gardaí until the morning of the hearing and had not made a witness statement.

Callaghan took the stand and apologised directly to the victim on his and Johnston’s behalf for what had happened.

Defence counsel said both Callaghan and Johnston were semi-professional footballers who also worked full-time.

Both men were co-operative and had travelled from Scotland to attend court dates as required.

Callaghan and Johnston were both remorseful and sorry for their actions, which were out of character, the court was told.

Character references from the defendants’ employers and Montrose FC were handed to the court.

Both defendants have recently signed contract extensions with the Scottish club.

The defendants had also lost a close friend in tragic circumstances in the months preceding this incident.

Judge Crowe adjourned the case to next year and said the court would like to see a “more concrete expression of remorse” from the defendants.