Latest news with #ClareAll-Ireland
Sunday World
7 days ago
- Sunday World
All-Ireland winning hurler found not guilty of assaulting boy (12) with stick
At Ennis Circuit Court today, the jury delivered a majority not guilty verdict A jury has found former All-Star and Clare All-Ireland winning hurler, Niall Gilligan not guilty of assaulting a then 12 year old boy with a stick. At Ennis Circuit Court today, the jury delivered a majority not guilty verdict that Mr Gilligan of Rossroe, Kilmurry, Sixmilebridge had assaulted causing harm of the boy at the Jamaica Inn Hostel, Sixmilebridge on October 5th 2023. Niall Gilligan at Ennis Circuit Court News in 90 Seconds - July 23rd Mr Gilligan sat impassive in the court as the court registrar read out the not guilty verdicts in the case concerning the assault causing harm charge and use of a stick. Earlier, judge in the assault case has asked the jury in the case to make 'a fresh start' in their deliberations this morning. Judge Francis Comerford sent the jury out at 10.40am to resume their deliberations. In the case, Mr Gilligan (48) of Rossroe, Kilmurry, Sixmilebridge denied the assault causing harm with a stick of a then 12-year old boy at the Jamaica Inn hostel, Sixmilebridge on October 5, 2023. On Tuesday, the jury deliberated for 2 hours and 47 minutes before they returned to the court just before 5pm and the jury foreman asked Judge Comerford: 'What is the next step if we are not unanimous?' In court this morning, Judge Comerford told the jury: 'I would ask you a fresh start and consider matters again and talk through the issues." Judge Comerford told the jury if they have a question or want to communicate any difficulties they can come back into court. Judge Comerford said that he would call the jury back in the course of the morning to confirm where they are and consider whether to move onto the next stage or not. On Tuesday, Judge Comerford told the jury: "It is always preferable that you try to reach a unanimous verdict - that is the ideal and it is better than any alternative." They jury commenced their deliberations at 12.33pm on Tuesday and before they commenced, Judge Comerford told them that they should make their decision in the case 'after a cold, direct, forensic determination of the facts'. In his closing speech to the jury on Monday counsel for Mr Gilligan, Patrick Whyms BL said in no way is Mr Gilligan trying to suggest that he was entitled to punish the boy as was suggested and said that the injuries sustained by the boy 'are clearly regrettable'. Mr Whyms said that on the evening at the Jamaica Inn hostel, Mr Gilligan 'didn't know that he was dealing with a child and did not create this situation'. Mr Whyms, instructed by solicitor, Daragh Hassett, said that Mr Gilligan "was at the end of his tether" by the vandalism being done to a vacant property he was trying to sell. Putting forward the defence of reasonable force against the charge, Mr Whyms said that Mr Gilligan was at the Jamaica Inn hostel on the night of October 5th 'in the dark and believed that he was under siege'. He said: 'Believing himself under threat and needing to protect himself and his property, Niall Gilligan needs to make an instant decision and so we are here." Mr Whyms said: 'And Mr Gilligan, a family man who has young children and no previous convictions gives a clear story which hans't changed and an entirely credible, fulsome account of what happened." Earlier in her closing speech on Monday, Ms Sarah Jane Comerford BL (instructed by State Solicitor for Clare, Aisling Casey) told the jury: 'This is a story of a man who lost his cool.' She said: 'Instead of picking up the boy after he slipped and bringing him out to his car and driving him home and telling his parents, he hit him and lost it and he was angry and frustrated.' Ms Comerford said that the alleged assault in broad daylight 'is the action of a man who took out his anger and frustration on a child. There is no evidence that his injuries were caused by anything other than his interactions with Niall Gilligan.' Ms Comerford said that Niall Gilligan 'lost control and punished the boy for the damage and inconvenience caused to his property on a morning when he had to clean up human faeces and urine from his property'.
Irish Daily Mirror
23-07-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Former All-Star hurler found 'not guilty' of assaulting 12-year-old with stick
A jury has found former All-Star and Clare All-Ireland winning hurler, Niall Gilligan not guilty of assaulting a then 12-year-old boy with a stick almost two years ago. At Ennis Circuit Court today, the jury of seven men and five women delivered a majority 'not guilty' verdict against the charge that Mr Gilligan (48) of Rossroe, Kilmurry, Sixmilebridge had assaulted causing harm of the boy with a stick at the Jamaica Inn Hostel, Sixmilebridge on October 5, 2023. Mr Gilligan sat impassively in the court as the court registrar read out the 'not guilty' majority verdicts in the case concerning the assault causing harm charge and producing a stick under Section 11 of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act at the same location on the same date. Two women in the Gilligan family group seated at the back of the court to support Mr Gilligan wept as the 'not guilty' verdicts were called out while the parents of the then 12-year-old sitting on the opposite side of the court left the courtroom shortly after the verdicts were announced. The jury delivered their majority 'not guilty' verdict after five hours and three minutes of deliberations and returned to the court 48 minutes after Judge Francis Comerford directed shortly after mid-day on Wednesday that they could deliver a majority 11-1 or 10-2 verdict. Shortly before 1pm, the foreman replied "yes" when asked by the court registrar had at least 10 of the jury reached a verdict in the case. The jury reached their verdicts after five days of evidence, closing speech by lawyers from both sides and the judge's charge in the case. Judge Comerford thanked the jury "for the careful deliberations you have taken". Mr Gilligan spoke briefly with his legal team of solicitor, Daragh Hassett and Patrick Whyms BL in the body of the court before leaving the courtroom. A farmer and auctioneer in Sixmilebridge, Mr Gilligan was not on legal aid for the case and will have to pay his legal bill from the six-day long trial from his own resources. Niall Gilligan (Image: ©INPHO/Donall Farmer) In his closing speech to the jury, counsel for Mr Gilligan, Mr Whyms said on the evening at the Jamaica Inn hostel, Mr Gilligan "didn't know that he was dealing with a child and did not create this situation". Mr Whyms said that Mr Gilligan "was at the end of his tether" by the vandalism being done to a vacant property he was trying to sell. Putting forward the defence of reasonable force against the charge of assault causing harm, Mr Whyms said that Mr Gilligan was at the Jamaica Inn hostel on the night of October 5 "in the dark and believed that he was under siege". He said: "Believing himself under threat and needing to protect himself and his property, Niall Gilligan needs to make an instant decision and so we are here." The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week Mr Whyms said: "And Mr Gilligan, a family man who has young children and no previous convictions gives a clear story which has't changed and an entirely credible, fulsome account of what happened." Mr Whyms said to the jury: "Did Niall Gilligan use such force as was reasonable in the circumstances as he believed them to be and if he did then no offence was committed." In his prepared statement at Shannon Garda Station in February 2024 on the alleged assault, Mr Whyms said that Mr Gilligan "has given a perfectly plausible account in an otherwise impeccably accurate description of what occurred which placed the boys inside the building when he met them". On the medical evidence, Mr Whyms said: "Nobody wants to see a child being injured and it would be much better if that didn't happen and the boy was injured in this case." He said: "There doesn't seem to be much room for argument that he was injured from the actions of Niall Gilligan." Mr Whyms said that a displaced fracture of a finger on the boy's left hand "is the only fracture in this case". He said: "There is an un-displaced fracture of a finger - that is not a good thing to happen but that it is what happened." He said: "There were injuries and there were sustained in the incident but by and large, most were cleared up in the week and the last one was pretty well cleared up in two weeks." Mr Whyms said that the injuries "don't look nice on the photographs - there is no getting away from that and injuries that are photographed immediately after don't look nice". Mr Whyms said that the injuries sustained by the boy "are clearly regrettable". Sign up to the Irish Mirror's Courts and Crime newsletter here and get breaking crime updates and news from the courts direct to your inbox.
The 42
23-07-2025
- The 42
Former Clare hurler Niall Gilligan found not guilty of assaulting 12-year-old boy
A JURY HAS found former All-Star and Clare All-Ireland winning hurler, Niall Gilligan not guilty of assaulting a then 12-year-old boy with a stick. At Ennis Circuit Court today, the jury delivered a majority not guilty verdict that Mr Gilligan of Rossroe, Kilmurry, Sixmilebridge had assaulted causing harm of the boy at the Jamaica Inn Hostel, Sixmilebridge on 5 October 2023. Advertisement Mr Gilligan sat impassive in the court as the court registrar read out the not guilty verdicts in the case concerning the assault causing harm charge and use of a stick. In his closing speech to the jury on Monday, counsel for Gilligan, Patrick Whyms BL said in no way is Mr Gilligan trying to suggest that he was entitled to punish the boy as was suggested and said that the injuries sustained by the boy 'are clearly regrettable'. Whyms said that on the evening at the Jamaica Inn hostel, Mr Gilligan 'didn't know that he was dealing with a child and did not create this situation'. Whyms said that Mr Gilligan 'was at the end of his tether' by the vandalism being done to a vacant property he was trying to sell. This is a breaking news story and will be updated Written by Gordon Deegan and posted on
Irish Independent
23-07-2025
- Irish Independent
All-Ireland winning hurler Niall Gilligan (48) found not guilty of assaulting 12-year-old boy
A jury has found former All-Star and Clare All-Ireland winning hurler, Niall Gilligan not guilty of assaulting a then 12 year old boy with a stick almost two years ago.
The Journal
23-07-2025
- The Journal
Former Clare hurler Niall Gilligan found not guilty of assaulting 12-year-old boy
LAST UPDATE | 12 mins ago A JURY HAS found former All-Star and Clare All-Ireland winning hurler, Niall Gilligan not guilty of assaulting a then 12-year-old boy with a stick almost two years ago. At Ennis Circuit Court today, the jury of seven men and five women delivered a majority 'not guilty' verdict against the charge that Gilligan (48) of Rossroe, Kilmurry, Sixmilebridge had assaulted causing harm of the boy with a stick at the Jamaica Inn Hostel, Sixmilebridge on 5 October 2023. Gilligan sat impassively in the court as the court registrar read out the 'not guilty' majority verdicts in the case concerning the assault causing harm charge and producing a stick under Section 11 of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act at the same location on the same date. Two women in the Gilligan family group seated at the back of the court to support Mr Gilligan wept as the 'not guilty' verdicts were called out while the parents of the then 12 year old sitting on the opposite side of the court left the courtroom shortly after the verdicts were announced. The jury delivered their majority 'not guilty' verdict after five hours and three minutes of deliberations and returned to the court 48 minutes after Judge Francis Comerford directed shortly after midday today that they could deliver a majority 11-1 or 10-2 verdict. Shortly before 1pm, the foreman replied 'yes' when asked by the court registrar had at least 10 of the jury reached a verdict in the case. The jury reached their verdicts after five days of evidence, closing speech by lawyers from both sides and the judge's charge in the case. Judge Comerford thanked the jury 'for the careful deliberations you have taken'. Gilligan spoke briefly with his legal team of solicitor, Daragh Hassett and Patrick Whyms BL in the body of the court before leaving the courtroom. A farmer and auctioneer in Sixmilebridge, Gilligan was not on legal aid for the case and will have to pay his legal bill from the six-day long trial from his own resources. In his closing speech to the jury, counsel for Gilligan, Whyms said on the evening at the Jamaica Inn hostel, Gilligan 'didn't know that he was dealing with a child and did not create this situation'. Advertisement Whyms said that Gilligan 'was at the end of his tether' by the vandalism being done to a vacant property he was trying to sell. Putting forward the defence of reasonable force against the charge of assault causing harm, Whyms said that Gilligan was at the Jamaica Inn hostel on the night of 5 October 'in the dark and believed that he was under siege'. He said: 'Believing himself under threat and needing to protect himself and his property, Niall Gilligan needs to make an instant decision and so we are here.' Whyms said: 'And Mr Gilligan, a family man who has young children and no previous convictions gives a clear story which has't changed and an entirely credible, fulsome account of what happened.' Whyms said to the jury: 'Did Niall Gilligan use such force as was reasonable in the circumstances as he believed them to be and if he did then no offence was committed.' In his prepared statement at Shannon Garda Station in February 2024 on the alleged assault, Whyms said that Gilligan 'has given a perfectly plausible account in an otherwise impeccably accurate description of what occurred which placed the boys inside the building when he met them'. On the medical evidence, Whyms said: 'Nobody wants to see a child being injured and it would be much better if that didn't happen and the boy was injured in this case.' He said: 'There doesn't seem to be much room for argument that he was injured from the actions of Niall Gilligan.' Whyms said that a displaced fracture of a finger on the boy's left hand 'is the only fracture in this case'. He said: 'There is an un-displaced fracture of a finger – that is not a good thing to happen but that it is what happened' He said: 'There were injuries and there were sustained in the incident but by and large, most were cleared up in the week and the last one was pretty well cleared up in two weeks.' Whyms said that the injuries 'don't look nice on the photographs – there is no getting away from that and injuries that are photographed immediately after don't look nice'. Whyms said that the injuries sustained by the boy 'are clearly regrettable'.
