SENTENCE was deferred at Manchester Crown Court yesterday in a case in which the Tipperary county hurler, John Leahy, was charged with striking a Manchester United fan in the face with a glass, causing permanent scarring.
Leahy (26), from Tipperary, pleaded guilty to unlawfully wounding Stephen Dow, who lives in Limerick. Mr Downey suffered a gaping wound to his face. Leahy is one of the best known hurlers at county level and has won a host of honours, including All Ireland championship in 1989 and 1991.
Judge David Hodson deferred sentence for six months and told Leahy that a good report on his behaviour during the period of deferment would save him from jail.
The court heard that Leahy told police he believed Mr Downey was going to hit him, and he swung out, not realising he had a glass in his hand.
The judge was told that both men were in Manchester to watch Manchester United play Aston Villa at Old Trafford last January.
They were talking together in a hotel bar in the centre of Manchester when Leahy, a fan of Liverpool football club, struck Mr Downey.
Ms Suzanne Goddard, defending, said that Leahy had a tremendous sporting record. He was highly respected as a leading player for his county side. After the team's successful season in 1991, he had begun drinking heavily. This had led to a deterioration in his behaviour and on the day of the offence he had been on a beer and vodka drinking spree. Since then, he had received treatment and had joined Alcoholics Anonymus.
It was clear that Leahy's behaviour had improved "beyond all recognition", Ms Goddard said.
Deferring sentence, the judge said that the offence was serious, adding that it was sad to see a man with Leahy's character, background and sporting achievements in a criminal dock.
"I accept you are fully remorseful for the injury you caused and, quite clearly, it was created after the huge quantity of drink you had consumed," he told Leahy.
"Your deteriorating and the responsible behaviour was all down to drink.
"But I have taken the view, largely because of the transformation you have effected in your life, that I am not required to send you to prison today."
Leahy had pleaded guilty to unlawfully wounding Mr Downey, the judge said. When he returned to court for sentence he would also be ordered to pay "substantial compensation to his victim for the facial scarring he had received".
Sean Moran, GAA Correspondent, writes As one of the most talented hurlers in the country, John Leahy's escape from an immediate custodial sentence will be greeted with relief in Tipperary, who face Kerry in Tralee this evening in the first Munster hurling semi final.
From Mullinahone in south Tipperary, an area with little in the way of a hurling tradition, Leahy made an impact from an early age as a member of the county's minor (under 18) team which reached the 1987 All-Ireland final against Offaly.
The young Leahy had caught the eye of then Tipperary senior manager, Babs Keating, who considered co opting him on to the senior panel in the same year.
Leahy graduated quickly and won his first Munster senior final in 1988, going on to feature in Tipperary's unsuccessful All Ireland tilt against Galway. The following year he was a member of the first team from the county to win an All Ireland in 18 years Leahy is a virtuoso hurler strong, competitive and with a masterful striking repertoire. He transformed Mullinahone virtually single handedly from a junior club at the start of his career to the senior status they currently enjoy.
At present, he is probably the most valued player in the county, which added greatly to the misapprehension within the team at the prospect of him being jailed.
Although Father Tom Fogarty, Tipperary's manager, and his selectors have consistently refused to comment on Leahy's legal difficulties, his absence would have crippled the team.
Over the years, Leahy has been prone to injuries, which have disrupted his playing career, but the high points have been dazzling. The 1991 season, the last occasion Tipperary won the All Ireland, was his best. His performances against Cork in the Munster final and replay were described as phenomenal. Later that year he won an All Star award.
Two years ago, in the National League final, Leahy gave another breathtaking display, scoring nine points as Tipperary beat Galway. Within two weeks, however, he had injured himself playing for the county's footballers with whom he was making an occasional appearance and consequently missed the hurlers' surprise championship defeat by Clare.
The Manchester court appearance has by no means been Leahy's only brush with controversy. One opponent spoke about his "dark side on the pitch", a reference to his tendency to behave provocatively towards opponents. In an unpleasant All Ireland semi final in 1989 Leahy was "decked" by Galway player Michael McGrath as the latter left the field after being sent off.
Yesterday's defence argument involved a public airing of Leahy's difficulties with alcohol. The habit is said to have started in the heady days of 1991 and is not hard to explain. For a young man, he came under enormous pressure and the adulation extended to the staging of a procession in Mullinahone to mark his 21st birthday.
Now that he is receiving treatment, John Leahy will carry the best wishes of hurling followers in Tipperary especially, but also else where in the country.