'Excited' football hooligan punched female match steward after winning goal, court hears

Tom Tuite

An "excited" football hooligan punched a female match steward when winning goal celebrations led to a pitch invasion in Dublin, a court has heard.

Karl Jess, 35, of Kylemore Drive, Ballyfermot, Dublin, pleaded guilty to assaulting the club official at Richmond Park during a St Patrick's Athletic 1-0 victory over visitors Derry City on October 25th last.

Home team supporter Jess also admitted connected charges for breach of the peace and obstructing gardaí who had to pepper spray him.

Judge Shalom Binchy heard at Dublin District Court that a scuffle broke out among St Patrick's Athletic fans.

Father of one Jess was part of a pitch invasion and assaulted the female steward "by punching her in the stomach".

He also told gardaí that "he would have them killed" before he was arrested and taken to Kevin Street station.

However, he did not calm down in custody and clenched his fists at arrested officer Garda Sean Murphy, who believed he would be assaulted.

The court heard gardaí had to deploy pepper spray.

Defence solicitor Emer O'Sullivan told the court that her client was at the match with friends and had been a "little nervous".

However, the court heard that he got excited when his team scored and was now apologetic.

Jess did not address the court, and the woman did not have to attend due to his admission. The court heard the steward did not provide a victim impact statement and had no lasting injury from the blow.

Last month, Jess pleaded guilty and was jailed for deception by inducing a vulnerable man to hand over €25,350 between August and November 2023.

Jess, who also had past drug convictions, is not due to be released until a date in 2027.

Judge Binchy described the attack as "most serious" but, noting his guilty plea, imposed a concurrent five-month sentence.