Kerry senior footballer Aidan O'Mahony denied any wrongdoing at Killarney District Court yesterday in a case in which he was charged with assaulting an off-duty bouncer, failing to comply with the direction of a garda, along with two breaches of the peace in the early hours of January 2nd 2006.
During the three-hour hearing Mr O'Mahony, (26) a student garda, and man of the match in the All-Ireland final against Mayo, sat in the body of the tiered court flanked by his former Kerry selectors Ger O'Keeffe and Johnny Culloty.
Mr O'Mahony of Mounthorgan, Rathmore told how his Garda career had been put on hold since January 1st, 2006 after the alleged incidents at Main Street in Killarney.
More than half way through his training as a garda, he could not go back to the Garda college until it was dealt with. Even then he would have to start phase three of his training again before continuing to his finals, he told the court.
Mr O' Mahony admitted being on Main Street and of having a few drinks taken, but he did not start any incident.
His head had been "belted off the ground", and at one stage up to five people were on top of him, he told the court. His head had also been struck off a wall. He told how he was dazed and confused after being injured outside a nightclub on Killarney's Main Street over a year ago.
"I did not start the incident," he said, adding that in the first incident at 1am he had been roughed about, In a second incident also at Main Street at 2.30am he was dazed and confused on the ground. He had returned to the scene because he saw no reason not to.
"I had done nothing wrong," he said while being cross-examined by State solicitor Ed O'Sullivan.
When asked about being restrained, Mr O'Mahony said: "All I remember is people being on top of me," he said.
Garda witnesses told of cuts and blood to Mr O'Mahony's face and head when they arrived at the scene.
Video clips of the alleged incidents were shown by prosecution to the court - by agreement the clips from security cameras inside Mustang Sally's nightclub premises and on the street outside were shown without commentary and some 10 witnesses including gardaí and security men or bouncers were called by the prosecution.
Defence solicitor Padraig O'Connell told Judge James O'Connor there was no evidence presented on any of the charges.
There had been "gross inconsistencies" in the evidence of prosecution witnesses who took the stand at the court.
"It's my case, there's no case," Mr O'Connell said and he presented Judge James O'Connor with case law on his contention.
In the witness box, the alleged assault victim, the off-duty security man Damien Casey had made no allegation he was assaulted by Mr O'Mahony, Mr O'Connell outlined. There was no evidence of a particular breach of the peace and no evidence by gardaí of obstruction, he continued.
Judge James O'Connor adjourned his decision to Tralee District Court this morning.