LIMERICK hurler Kyle Hayes was told by a judge at Limerick Circuit Court today that he will avoid a three-month jail sentence provided he can be deemed suitable for community service.
Judge Dara Hayes told Kyle Hayes that there was a possibility he could serve 180 hours of unpaid community service instead of being forced to revoke three months of his suspended sentence for violent disorder.
The probation service will now prepare a community report before the matter is brought before the court again in April.
Hayes’ defence barrister Liam Carroll told the court that Hayes’ maternal grandmother had passed away on Tuesday 18th March and that a funeral service was being held this evening. Despite this, he said that Mr. Hayes would accept his fate and was ‘happy to face the music’.
Judge Hayes summarised how Hayes had been charged with a two-year suspended sentence in March of last year, after two counts of violent disorder were brought against him for incidents inside and outside a Limerick City nightclub in 2019.
The court then heard how Hayes had been acquitted of assaulting Cillian McCarthy that same night, with a condition being set that he was to remain on good behaviour. What followed was a conviction last September for dangerous driving.
Hayes was caught driving his car at speeds of up to 155 kilometres per hour, during which time he overtook a total of nine vehicles on the N20 motorway outside Mallow. Hayes’ defence team made an appeal for a lesser conviction of ‘careless driving’, but that was rejected.
He received a ban from driving for two years and a fine of €250. Mr. Hayes’ subsequent dangerous driving conviction triggered a Section 99 hearing, wherein it would be decided whether or not the original suspended sentence should be revoked
Liam Hayes is known within sporting circles for his impressive record, having won the All-Ireland hurling championship five times. The judge was impressed with the fact that, although Mr. Hayes is a talented and highly decorated hurler, he sought no preferential treatment on account of his public profile.
Judge Hayes reiterated that he spoke about these achievements simply to underpin that they would have no bearing on his decision in the case. He also said that counsel for the defence, Brian McInerney made a ‘reasonable observation’ that Hayes’ later conviction for dangerous driving was of a different quality to violent disorder.
See More: Kyle Hayes, Limerick Circuit Court, Limerick GAA
