Limerick hurler Kyle Hayes must wait until New Year to find out if he faces prison sentence

Limerick star hurler Kyle Hayes will have to wait until at least February next year to find out whether he will be jailed after being found guilty of violent disorder at a Limerick nightclub.

A two-year suspended sentence was imposed on five-time All-Star pitcher Hayes (26) last December after he was found guilty of two counts of violent disorder at Icon nightclub, Limerick, on October 28 2019.

Today the five-time All-Ireland winning bowler appeared at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court to reinstate the two-year suspended sentence which was triggered after Hayes was found guilty of dangerous driving at the court in Mallow district last September.

Today, Hayes’ lead lawyer, Brian McInerney, told Limerick Circuit Court that the suspended sentence case could not be heard because Hayes was appealing his dangerous driving conviction, which should be heard first.

“I am informed that the appeal regarding the alleged criminal offense is scheduled for December 19 in Cork and nothing can happen here before that,” Mr McInerney told Judge Colin Daly.

Judge Daly remanded Hayes in custody to appear before Limerick Circuit Criminal Court for a suspended sentence hearing for violent disorder on February 10, 2025.

Hayes’ appeal against his dangerous driving conviction will be heard at Cork Circuit Criminal Court on December 19.

Hayes, who was controversially shortlisted for the 2024 Hurler of the Year, was found guilty by a jury last December of one count of violent disorder on the dance floor of Icon nightclub, Limerick City, and one count of violent disorder outside the nightclub in 2019. .

Hayes, of Ballyashea, Kildimo, Co Limerick, had contested the charges and was acquitted of a third alleged offence, of assault causing harm to Cillian McCarthy, inside the nightclub.

In addition to his suspended sentence, Hayes was ordered to pay Mr McCarthy €10,000 in compensation for his injuries, loss of income, due to the injuries he suffered on the night of the violent disorder.

Limerick hurling manager John Kiely gave a reference to Hayes’ character during the December 2023 sentencing hearing, and the Shannonside GAA boss later asked Judge Dermot Sheehan not to jail the star defender.

“Every young man deserves a chance,” Mr. Kiely told the judge.

Cillian McCarthy had testified during Hayes’ trial that he had to undergo surgery to repair a fracture in his right eye socket. He also suffered bruising, severe headaches, blurred vision and psychological trauma.

Mr McCarthy said he had also received hateful messages from people on social media and photos of him had circulated online alongside “nasty comments”.

Judge Sheehan suspended Hayes’ two-year sentence for violent disorder on the condition that he remains free of an offense for a period of two years.

Last month, Hayes was found guilty of a separate offense of dangerous driving by Judge Colm Roberts at Mallow District Court after the hurler contested the charge.

Hayes had offered to plead to a lesser offense of careless driving, but Judge Roberts said he did not accept it and found Hayes guilty of one count of dangerous driving on the N20 Cork Limerick road, the July 14 last year.

Judge Roberts also banned Hayes from driving for two years and fined him €250.

Mallow Courthouse heard that Hayes had driven at 150km/h in a 100km/h speed limit zone at Lissavoura, Grenagh, near Mallow, that day.

Garda Deirdre Barrett told the court she observed Hayes’ white Audi A6 with registration number 191 overtake nine other vehicles at high speed as it approached a section of the road which narrowed from two lanes to one lane.

When she parked the car, Hayes was in the driver’s seat carrying a passenger.

Judge Roberts told Hayes: “Speed ​​kills, and it was excessive and dangerous speed. »

“There are too many deaths on the roads, and he (Hayes) might think he’s the one and things won’t go bad for him, but things go wrong.”