Two men sentenced for assaulting referee at GAA match in the Midlands

A man and a teenager have been sentenced for assaulting a referee during a GAA match in Laois. 

Evin Bennett, 54, of Ship House, Portlaoise Road, Porarlington and a teenager, who is 19 but was 17 at the time of the incident, were both found guilty of assaulting referee Michael Tarpey at Portarlington GAA Club on May 30, 2022. 

Inspector Barry Collins said the injured party was volunteering at the minor development league match where “a melee” occurred after he made a decision in the game.  

“Mr  Tarpey was accosted by both accused. He suffered some mild injuries,” said Inspector Collins.  He said the referee’s lanyard and attire were damaged, costing a total of €135. He said the referee attended the emergency  department and his medical bills amounted to €220. 

He read a victim impact statement which showed the referee suffered a bruised lower lip and head and neck pain. He was off work for ten days following the assault. He suffered mentally as well as physically. 

The referee said he was “verbally abused by Portarlington supporters” and had been followed to his car immediately after the incident. 

He said he had to listen to foolish and untrue rumours and was also contacted by a number of  journalists and the matter was referred to GSOC.The referee said his son was also contacted via social media following the incident. 

“He did not referee any games for the remainder of 2022,” said Inspector Collins. 

The referee said he was thankful that the incident was captured on camera as he said there had been a number of “similar statements against me” and he didn’t think they would have been rebutted without the CCTV. 

Defence Counsel Edward O’Mahony BL  said neither of his clients had followed the referee or attempted to contact him. 

Mr O’Mahoney said there were no linesmen on the day of the match and Mr Bennett had wished to query the referee’s decision. He said the court had previously found the incident only arose after Mr Bennett entered the field of play. 

Mr O’Mahoney said Mr Bennett headbutted Mr Tarpey before a scuffle broke out on the pitch. He said Mr Bennett had received a scratch to the neck during the incident. 

He described it as “an incident which got massively out of hand in a short time.” 

“It wasn’t that he started this match with the intention of assaulting the referee,” he said of Mr Bennett. 

He said although his client had contested the case, he said he had cooperated with gardai. He said the man was a carpenter and he employed four other carpenters. He has no previous or subsequent convictions, said Mr O’Mahoney.

He said Mr Bennett was involved in the GAA for the majority of his life. 

“He no longer engages in training or coaching since this incident,” he said. 

In relation to the teenager, Mr O’Mahoney said the young man had a positive probation report. 

“He has accepted the verdict of the court,” he said. 

“GAA was a huge part of his life growing up,” said Mr O’Mahony.  He said the teenager was “ashamed or what occurred” and can’t “escape the shadow” of what happened. The man is an apprentice carpenter and is at low risk of reoffending, he said. 

Mr O’Mahoney said the teenager was remorseful and the probation services had indicated that there is nothing more they can do for him. 

Mr O’Mahoney said it was his opinion that the Section 2 assault charges were at the “lower end” of the spectrum in terms of Section 2 assault offences. 

“Neither men came to the attention of the gardaí either before or after,” he pointed out. 

“This was an unfortunate and disgraceful incident but it was very much a one off,” said Mr O’Mahoney.

He said the incident has had far reaching consequences for both men and for their clubs as he asked Judge Nicola Andrews to consider leaving them without a conviction. 

“There is obviously a growing trend of antagonism towards referees in all sports but particularly in GAA,” he added. 

Judge Andrews said both men have now been convicted of assault. 

“I thank the injured party for making his statement to this court,” she said. 

“I am sorry that this incident befell you,” she remarked. 

She said the entire incident is attributable to Mr Bennett.  She said the incident at the young adult’s match had taken an awful toll on the referee and his family. 

Judge Andrews noted the teenager had engaged fully with probation services and apologised unreservedly. The defendant had suffered by being labelled a criminal, she said. 

She ordered that Bennett pay €8,000 in compensation to the referee on or before September 1, 2024 and she applied the probation act and bound him to the peace for 24 months. The teenager was bound to the peace for 24 months and ordered to pay €5,000 on or before September 1. 

Mr Bennett lodged an appeal shortly after being sentenced at Portlaoise District Court.    

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