A 19-year old Ennis man was yesterday jailed for two years for robbing former Clare hurler, Alan Markham of €75.
In Christmas 2013, the Munster senior title winning hurler turned up at Ennis Garda station with his head bloodied and bruised after being struck by a beer glass and a stick.
At Ennis Circuit Court yesterday, Judge Gerard Keyes jailed Shane McCarthy of Shalee Drive, Cloughleigh, Ennis after he pleaded guilty to robbing Mr Markham of €75 on December 21st 2013 at the Colaiste Muire school in Ennis.
Judge Keyes said that the sentence could run concurrent with two other robbery offences committed by Mr McCarthy in March 2nd 2014.
Judge Keyes said: “It is very apparent to this court that the number of cases are increasing where these type of offences occur and they are going to receive a custodial sentence except where there are exceptional circumstances.”
In court last year, a co-accused for Mr McCarthy’s Jordan Whelan (18) of Dun na hInse walked free after pleading guilty to robbing Mr Markham of €75.
Prior to robbing Mr Markham, Mr Jordan struck Mr Markham with a pint glass in an unprovoked attack in Ennis’s Abbey Street Car Park.
Mr Markham and his friend, Sean Hogan gave chase to Mr Jordan, Mr McCarthy and a third accomplice and according to Mr Markham “the three tuned back on us and started fighting”.
In his Garda statement, Mr Markham said: “I was hit by a stick in the forehead and across my legs a few times. I also got a few boxes from a fella wearing a blue top. I was knocked to the ground and received a number of kicks to my body. I just lay on the ground and covered my head. I am not sure how many of them were kicking me.”
Mr Markham said that the assault stopped and he got to his feet a demand for money was made.
He said: “I handed over €50 and one of them checked my pockets and took out €25.”
Mr Markham – who wasn’t in court yesterday – played in the victorious Clare team that beat Waterford in the 1998 Munster final.
Mr Jordan is currently on bail and Judge Keyes said last November that his case will be reviewed in one year time.
