A row between Republic of Ireland footballer Jeff Hendrick and another man on Dublin’s Harcourt Street was just “drunken handbags”, the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has heard.
Mr Hendrick and a co-accused, Jonathan Doran (26), have denied charges of committing violent disorder on October 12th, 2013. Mr Doran has also denied assaulting Darren McDermott causing him harm at the same location.
Previously Mr McDermott told the court that Mr Hendrick (25) dragged him from a taxi outside a nightclub shortly after they had a verbal row inside. He said he ended up on the ground and received kicks to his head, face, chest and back.
Under cross-examination by Seán Gillane SC, defending Mr Hendrick, Mr McDermott said he could not recall becoming a menace or a nuisance to the footballer’s group in Krystle nightclub.
Counsel said Mr McDermott started slagging Mr Hendrick’s team mates, who had that night lost a match to Germany, calling them “crap and shite”. Mr McDermott said he could not remember this and denied slagging Mr Hendrick’s family.
He said he could not recall Mr Hendrick saying “will you ever f*** off out of our group?” but accepted that he had been asked to leave the group though he did not know why.
Mr Gillane put it to the witness that this was a case of “drunken handbags between two people in a nightclub which is run of the mill”.
Mr McDermott agreed and said if it had ended at that moment he probably would never have thought of it again. He said bouncers tackled Mr Hendrick to the ground and then ushered out of the club.
More ‘verbals’ outside
Mr McDermott said that some minutes later he left the nightclub and agreed that there were more “verbals” outside.
Counsel said that his client was shouting at him “you f***ing ruined my night” and put it to Mr McDermott that he “returned fire” and said to him “who the f*** do you think you are?”
Mr McDermott said he may have said that but said there was no aggression coming from him. Mr Gillane said this was “more drunken handbags”.
On Tuesday Mr McDermott testified that after getting into a taxi, Mr Hendrick and others surrounded the car.
He alleged Mr Hendrick pulled him out of the taxi and said to him “I’ll kill you”.
Mr McDermott denied a suggestion by Mr Gillane that he had never given evidence of this threat before and denied that he had “introduced” the words as part of an “agenda” to “blacken” the footballer’s name.
He said it was a complete lie to suggest that Mr Hendrick did not surround the taxi or pull him out of it.
‘You’re a scumbag’
Mr McDermott denied he was out to get revenge on Mr Hendrick but added: “I blame him for everything that happened. He was the aggressor...”.
He denied that his animosity extended to him trying to affect his career and “trying to bring him down”.
The witness agreed that months after the incident he may have sent Mr Hendrick messages online saying “I’m looking forward to ending your career” and “I’ll dance on your brother, your mother and your Dad’s head, you’re a scumbag”.
He told Mr Gillane he was experiencing a lot of anger and suffering at the time. He agreed he was suing the footballer and the nightclub for damages.
Mr Hendrick, originally from Kilmore Drive, Artane, Dublin but now living in the UK and Mr Doran of Kilmore Close, Artane deny the charges. The trial continues before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury of seven men and five women.