Leinster rugby player spared sentence and conviction for beaker attack on woman in nightclub

Tom Tuite

A Leinster rugby player who got into a drink-fuelled nightclub row and "flicked" a beaker at a woman, causing dental injuries, has avoided jail and a criminal conviction.

Alan Spicer, 21, of Swords Road, Malahide, Dublin, was celebrating his latest cap at the time of the incident at Copper Face Jacks, Jackson Court Hotel, Harcourt Street, on March 1st, Dublin District Court heard.

The six-foot-ten second row, who has represented Ireland under-20s, UCD and Leinster, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to assault causing harm to the woman in her 20s and paid €10,000 compensation.

Judge Treasa Kelly said the victim was left shocked, clearly distressed and was left bleeding from a cut lip, but noted Spicer admitted the offence from the outset.

She accepted it was out of character as she applied the Probation of Offenders Act, saying it would not affect his ability to travel.

She said she had considered the setting with a packed nightclub, loud music and a lot of intoxicated people. She remarked that, "It was in this environment that mistakes happen", and she expected all involved wished they could go back in time before any of this silliness occurred.

Garda Ronan Molloy, from Pearse Street station, said at 3.45 am the accused, who has no prior convictions, bumped into the victim.

It resulted in an altercation, and Spicer poured his drink down the woman's back, but she "retaliated by throwing the contents of her drink back at the accused".

The rugby player then, using his right hand, took the hard plastic cup from her right hand and threw it at her, which struck her in the face, resulting in mouth injuries.

The garda handed in a dentist's report to Judge Kelly, who noted that the woman, who was not required to give evidence, sustained a cut lip, a scar and a discoloured tooth which will require a new cap.

Garda Molloy also provided the judge with photos of the woman's injuries. A victim impact statement was provided to the court, but was not read aloud during the hearing.

The judge said it showed the psychological impact of the incident, which has left her very anxious. She was also self-conscious about the appearance of her tooth.

The court heard that her medical expenses so far were about €1,500 and that she may need further treatment.

Questioned by defence solicitor John O'Doherty, the garda agreed Spicer flicked the plastic beaker at her. The solicitor told the officer that his client had not intended these consequences; it was a reckless action, which Garda Molloy accepted.

The court heard that, on arrest, Spicer was cooperative and, since then, has consistently contacted the investigating garda to check if the woman was okay and whether there was anything he could do for her.

Garda Molloy believed that it was highly unlikely that the accused would come to garda attention again.

Pleading for leniency, the solicitor furnished character references from Spicer's employer, the IRFU, his club Clontarf and a former school principal.

O'Doherty said that his client had been on the Leinster team, which had just played in Cardiff, and that he had come back and gone out with friends to celebrate.

The solicitor said Spicer had "far too much to drink" and was embarrassed, but it could have been much worse. He made admissions immediately, and the solicitor described his client as a role model to teammates, who had also worn the green of Ireland at an underage level.

The judge noted that the guilty plea spared the very anxious woman from having to come to court to give evidence and relive the incident.