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Champion boxer says he was defending himself when he punched man in Offaly nightclub
Verdict awaited in trial of Tipperary man accused of breaking man's jaw in Birr
Trial took place at Tullamore Circuit Court
Reporter:
Offaly Live court reporter
04 Jun 2025 3:08 PM
A JURY is today considering its verdict in the case of a champion boxer from Tipperary who said he was acting in self defence when he punched a man three times in the toilet of a Birr night club.
Jack Deane, Knockanacree, Cloughjordan, Co Tipperary, had pleaded not guilty to assaulting Christopher Kelly, causing him harm, at Melba's night club, Emmet Square, Birr on August 28, 2023.
A trial at Tullamore Circuit Court was told by Mr Kelly that he was assaulted by Mr Deane after entering the toilet at Melba's night club.
An employee of the County Arms Hotel in Birr, he had been on a work night out and went to the night club after having a few drinks in Kelly's bar.
After being punched in the toilet by Mr Deane, a man he knew because he had previously sparred with him in Highfield during the Covid-19 pandemic he spent the night in the County Arms but went to Tullamore Hospital the next day on the advice of his girlfriend because his jaw was sore.
At the emergency department he was found to have a fractured jaw and injuries to his nose and shoulder.
Garda Hugh Naughton gave evidence that when Mr Kelly called to Birr station to report the incident he had a blacke eye and bruising to his face.
He gave a statement saying he'd been assaulted by Mr Deane. CCTV footage was played in court which showed Mr Deane and a number of other males going down a stairs in the premises after the incident.
Mr Deane could be seen putting a hand up to the right side of his own face.
In an initial garda interview in January 2024 the accused said he could not recall anything from the night and did not know Mr Kelly.
In December 2024 he withdrew the first statement and gave gardai a prepared statement.
In it he said Mr Kelly had hit him first and he then defended himself by throwing three punches.
The court was told Mr Deane had been a boxer in the 80kg weight category and won three county titles and two Munster titles.
In his own evidence at the trial Mr Deane said he and his friends left the night club after the incident and drove to Borrisokane where they went to a pub.
Cian Fallon, a young man who was with the accused on the night, gave evidence that Mr Kelly had been aggressive to Mr Deane first.
William Fennelly, BL, prosecuting, told the jury they had to decide if Mr Deane had acted in self defence but advised them that while Mr Kelly had been consistent in his evidence, Mr Deane, a man of 80kg, had attacked a man of 65kg and changed his account of what had happened.
David Nugent, BL, defending, said Mr Deane had acted in self defence because Mr Kelly had instigated the incident.
When the jury of six women and six men returned this afternoon and told Judge Keenan Johnson they had not reached a verdict on which they could all agree, he told them he would accept a majority verdict, of 11 to one or 10 to two.
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