Wexford GAA mentor appears before court charged with assault causing harm to referee

The GAA mentor accused of assaulting a referee in the immediate aftermath of a junior football match in Wexford in September of last year has appeared before Wexford District Court charged with assault causing harm.

A mentor at St Joseph’s GAA Club in Wexford town, Glen McManus (34) of Cluain Dara, Clonard, was accused of punching referee Michael Lanigan in the back of the head at the club’s grounds at Whiterock hill on September 25 last.

McManus is also accused of assaulting another man, Edward Harding, at the same location on the same date.

The Wexford man appeared before Judge Gráinne Malone at the District Court and did not indicate a plea. The Director of Public Prosecutions had directed a summary disposal on a plea of guilty.

The court was told that Mr Lanigan blew the whistle at the end of the match when he was “struck from behind”. He made his own was to hospital with neck injuries and was said to have “missed a couple of week’s work”.

Having heard the details, Judge Malone refused jurisdiction in the case, deeming it “too serious” to be heard in the District Court, opting instead for the case to be heard in the Circuit Court.

The matter was put back for six weeks for mention for a book of evidence to be served.