A referee who was knocked unconscious after being assaulted at a GAA match in Co Roscommon last year, has said that he now lives with anxiety and has lost all interest in GAA.
Kevin Naughton told Ballinasloe District Court that he been receiving counselling since the assault.
James Kenny, 40, with an address at Ballyforan, Co Roscommon, was charged with assaulting Mr Naughton at Ballyforan GAA grounds on 31 August 2022.
Mr Naughton, who had been officiating an under-17 match in Ballyfornan, outlined to the court that he had received "some abuse from the sideline" during the second half and went to deal with it.
He explained how he went to take a card out of his pocket when an official made contact with him and he was knocked to the ground.
He told the court he lost consciousness and woke up to a number of people helping him.
Mr Naughton said he could not move following the incident and an ambulance came and brought him to Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe.
The court heard how the referee suffered neck and soft tissue injuries.
Mr Naughton said that he has lost all interest in the GAA and referring and has not been at a gaelic games grounds since the incident.
He said he suffers from anxiety, is receiving counselling and is on medication.
Judge James Faughnan was shown video footage of the incident which he described as "quite shocking" and said the charge in this case should be a Section 3 assault, which is a more serious charge of assault causing harm.
The court heard the Director of Public Prosecutions had accepted a Section 2 charge of assault in this case.
Garda Tony Brennan told the court that Mr Kenny had acknowledged his actions from the start and had expressed remorse.
He said Mr Kenny had cooperated throughout the investigation and also acknowledged that he should not have been on the field and should not have made contact with the referee.
He said Mr Naughton was fair and reasonable and was anxious the matter be dealt with in a way that was not stressful to anyone.
Judge Faughan said he was not accepting that this was a Section 2 assault.
He told Mr Kenny that the matter will be dealt with in the circuit court, saying "if I dealt with it today you would be going to prison for six months".
"Referees are protected and to see what this man has gone through. It's not about the injury, it's about the entirety of the injuries," Judge Faughnan said.
Defence solicitor Marie Conroy for Mahon Sweeney Solicitors told the court that there was no intent by Mr Kenny, who had acknowledged there was contact with the referee.
Judge Faughnan adjourned the case until 27 July to allow for the preparation of a book of evidence.
