MAN ACCUSED OF EX FOOTIE BOSS ATTACK HAS CASE DISMISSED

A MAN accused of assaulting a former owner of Dundalk FC had his case dismissed yesterday after a judge said she was not satisfied there was evidence of harm caused.

- BY NICOLA DONNELLY

Judge Nicola Andrews also said she noted there was “a long protracted history" between the accused John Keenan and John Temple that “was being played out” in the courtroom and “not to anyone's satisfaction”.

After the near two-hour contested hearing, the judge also said she was “not satisfied” the injuries Mr Temple received constituted Section 3 assault causing harm.

“And I don't have the jurisdiction to reduce it to Section 2 assault so I am not going any further,” the judge said, dismissing the case at Dundalk District Court in Louth.

Mr Keenan, 59, of O'Reilly Park, Killeen, Newry, was charged with assaulting Mr Temple causing him harm at Riverstown in Dundalk on June 5, 2023. He denied the charge and claimed he acted in self-defence.

Mr Temple gave evidence he was walking along a laneway to the beach near his home with two of his children when he signalled to a van travelling the same laneway to slow down.