A former Irish under-16 soccer international who seriously assaulted two men, including a fireman assisting his partner, and threw a dumb-bell at a Garda patrol car, has been given a six-year sentence.
Keith Bride (19), Beechfield Heights, Castleheany, Clonee, Co Meath and Collins Hall, Whitehall, Dublin, pleaded guilty to assaulting two men causing them harm in December 2004 and May 2005.
Bride also pleaded guilty to counts of endangerment and travelling in a stolen car in August 2005. Judge Katherine Delahunt at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court imposed a total of six years imprisonment suspending the last year on conditions.
She said "an attack on a servant of the State in the lawful execution of their duties, be it a fireman or garda, is an attack on the State."
She told Bride "you had a good future which has been thrown away".
Caroline Biggs, defending, noted Bride had shown great sporting promise in childhood and had a contract with Coventry City until he began abusing tablets and alcohol at 15 years of age.
Two co-accused Paul Beatty (19) and Michael Smith (20), both Hawthorn Avenue, East Wall, Dublin, were jailed in July 2006 for stolen vehicle offences and reckless endangerment of a Garda patrol car in August 2005. The vehicle had dumb-bells thrown in its path.