Conor McGregor appears for two-minute hearing in relation to Dublin pub incident
A judge has given Conor McGregor three weeks to decide how he will plead to a charge of attacking a customer in a Dublin pub.
Desmond Keogh, who in his 50s and from south west Dublin had been at the Marble Arch Pub, Benbulbin Road, in Drimnagh at about 2.30pm on April 6 last when he was allegedly hit by the mixed martial arts (MMA) star.
The former lightweight and featherweight UFC champ was quizzed by detectives about the alleged assault, but he was not formally arrested.
A file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions and the fighter was later served with a summons. He was forced to appear at Dublin District Court yesterday/today (FRI) on a common assault assault charge.
The offence is under Section Two of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the State Act, a category for minor assaults which do not result in serious injury.
It can carry a six-month jail sentence, and a fine of about €2,000, and due to nature of the charge it will can only be dealt with at district court level.
Multi-millionaire McGregor was dropped off at the Criminal Courts of Justice Building in Dublin at about 9.50am, arriving in a blacked-out BMW.
In a navy patterned suit, white shirt, striped light blue and green tie, he remained tight lipped as he strode past news photographers. Adjusting his tie, he was ushered through the building’s security, flanked by two minders.
Once inside, he looked around and headed upstairs to wait outside courtroom number eight for his case.
Born in Crumlin and later raised in Lucan, Dublin, McGregor now living in at Ladycastle, Straffan, did not address the court during his two-minute hearing which commenced 10.41 am.
He stood before Judge Marie Keane with his hands clasped in front of him.
His solicitor Michael Staines, spoke on his behalf. “My client is in court, judge. It can be adjourned by consent for disclosure to be furnished,” he said.
This relates to evidence the prosecution intends to use in the case.
State Solicitor Michael Durkan, said: “That is fine.”
Garda Jason O’Carroll, of Crumlin station, confirmed he can comply with the disclosure order and it will include CCTV.
Judge Keane ordered the professional fighter to appear again on November 1 next. He will be expected to indicate how he will plead to the charge on that date. A trial will be fixed then if he intends to contest the case.
There was a media scrum as he left the building at 10.56am and was driven away by the waiting BMW.
In August, video footage was posted on American website TMZ and went viral.
Almost a week later the MMA star issued an apology during an interview on US cable sports television ESPN.
Father-of-two, McGregor earned a US$30m purse from his loss in a cross-over boxing fight with former undefeated welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jnr in 2017. The event, known as “The Money Fight” and “The Biggest Fight in Combat History”, saw McGregor lose by technical knock-out in the tenth round.
The ex-two weight champ has not fought in the UFC since his defeat to Khabib Nurmagomedov in October last year.
