Man assaulted soccer referee over pitch decision 

A Restorative Justice report has been directed in the case of a man who assaulted a referee after disagreeing with a decision at a soccer match.

Joseph Scully (42), with an address at Meadowbrook, Birr, County Offaly, appeared before Athlone District Court charged with assault causing harm to a referee in what Judge Susan Fay referred to as “a very serious matter”.

The court previously heard how, on February 9th of last year, the injured party attended Athlone Garda Station, where he reported that he had been assaulted.

He told gardaí that, while refereeing a soccer match at St Peter’s FC, Athlone, County Roscommon, he was assaulted. He stated that a male, known to him as Joseph Scully, was “unhappy with a refereeing decision” he had made.

Mr Scully entered the playing field and threw a linesman flag towards him. As the injured party went to pick up the flag, he was struck across the face by Mr Scully with one punch.

As a result, the left side of his jaw was swollen and sore. Medical reports showed there was visible swelling over the left lower jaw area, and tenderness to the joint that connects the lower jaw to the skull.

On July 13th of last year, Mr Scully provided a cautioned statement to gardaí where he made full admissions to the offence. A file was submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and directions were received to charge the accused with assault causing harm.

Mr Scully entered a guilty plea to the assault “from the get go”, with Judge Bernadette Owens previously accepting jurisdiction. He has no previous convictions and came to court with a sum of €2,000.

“Unfortunately, it was a one-off instinctive reaction, which he regrets. He’s recently widowed and a father of three children, two with cerebral palsy. His sole income is as a carer for them. His only outlet was football,” said Padraig Quinn, solicitor for the accused.

In the interest of justice, and “in the interest of everybody going forward”, Judge Fay directed a Restorative Justice report and remanded Mr Scully on continuing bail to September 9th.

*Published as part of the Courts Reporting Scheme.