Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 7032Assault causing harm; violent disorder · Co. Limerick · 28 Oct 2019

Witness gives evidence at trial of Kyle Hayes over Limerick nightclub assault

On 28 October 2019 Cillian McCarthy, a man aged 24, was allegedly assaulted outside the ICON nightclub on Upper Denmark Street, Limerick City, and suffered facial injuries including a fractured eye socket. Kyle Hayes, a man aged 25, was arrested by gardaí a short time after the alleged attack and charged with assault causing harm and two counts of violent disorder, which he denies. Co-accused Craig Cosgrave (24) and Jai Chaudri (22) were also charged, and all three pleaded not guilty. Hayes's trial began at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Dermot Sheehan and a jury in November 2023, and the latest development is that the judge told the jury it no longer had to concern itself with Chaudri while the trial continues.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court21 Nov
    4 reports
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Kyle Hayes, a man aged 25, is on trial charged with assault causing harm to Cillian McCarthy, a man aged 24.
  • McCarthy says he was tripped to the ground, then punched and kicked, and he suffered facial injuries including a fracture to a bone under his right eye, for which he had surgery.
Where
The alleged assault took place outside the ICON nightclub on Upper Denmark Street, Limerick City, and McCarthy alleges Hayes also assaulted him inside the club earlier that night.
When
The alleged incident took place in the early hours of 28 October 2019.
Cause
The prosecution says Hayes became upset because McCarthy had been talking to two girls in a bar in the club, and McCarthy says Hayes warned him to stay away from them.
Investigation
  • Gardaí gathered CCTV from the nightclub and other local bars and clubs, and the court has seen footage allegedly showing Hayes and others assaulting McCarthy on the club's dance floor.
  • The prosecution says Hayes fled the scene and was arrested by gardaí a short time later, while the defence says Hayes left the club under his own steam and McCarthy was ejected by security staff.
  • Two gardaí allegedly saw Hayes and others attacking McCarthy outside the nightclub, and a witness said the group left when gardaí arrived.
Charges
  • Hayes is charged with one count of assault causing harm and two counts of violent disorder, and he denies all three charges.
  • Craig Cosgrave (24) is charged with one count of violent disorder inside the ICON nightclub and denies the charge.
  • Jai Chaudri (22) is charged with assaulting McCarthy causing harm and with violent disorder outside the club, and he denies both charges.
In court
  • The trial is before Judge Dermot Sheehan and a jury at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court, and all three accused have pleaded not guilty to all charges.
  • A witness told the court he saw Hayes and others standing on and punching McCarthy on the street.
  • The judge told the jury it no longer had to concern itself with Jai Chaudri, who had faced one count of violent disorder and one count of assault causing harm.
49 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatKyle Hayes is on trial charged with one count of assault causing harm to Cillian McCarthy. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatIt is alleged gardaí saw Hayes and Chaudri kicking and punching McCarthy while he lay on a street near the nightclub. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatJai Chaudri allegedly joined Hayes in assaulting McCarthy while he lay on the ground. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatMcCarthy suffered a number of facial injuries, including a fracture to his right eye socket. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatKyle Hayes is on trial charged with assault causing harm to Cillian McCarthy. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe complainant alleges Mr Hayes assaulted him inside the club earlier that night. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe complainant alleges he was tripped to the ground outside the club and then punched and kicked. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe complainant says he was punched continuously into the head. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe complainant says he sustained a fracture to a bone under his right eye and had surgery. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe alleged attack took place outside the ICON nightclub on Upper Denmark Street, Limerick City. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe alleged assault happened outside the ICON nightclub on Upper Denmark Street, Limerick City. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe alleged assault happened outside the Icon nightclub in Limerick city. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe alleged assault took place outside the Icon nightclub on Upper Denmark Street in Limerick city. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe alleged incident occurred on October 28th, 2019. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe alleged offence took place on 28 October 2019. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe alleged incidents took place on 28 October 2019. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe alleged assault took place on 28 October 2019. (irishtimes.com)
  • causeThe prosecution says Kyle Hayes was upset because Cillian McCarthy had been talking to two girls. (irishtimes.com)
  • causeMr Hayes allegedly became angry that the complainant was chatting to two females at a bar in the club. (irishtimes.com)
  • causeThe court heard Hayes warned McCarthy to stay away from two girls he knew. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGardaí harvested CCTV footage from the nightclub and other local bars and clubs. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationHayes allegedly fled the scene and was arrested by gardaí a short time later. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe court has seen CCTV footage allegedly showing Hayes and others assaulting McCarthy on the dance floor of the club. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeHayes is also charged with two counts of violent disorder. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeCraig Cosgrave is charged with violent disorder inside the nightclub. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeJai Chaudri is charged with assault causing harm to McCarthy and one count of violent disorder outside the club. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeHayes is also charged with one count of violent disorder inside the nightclub and one count outside the venue. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeJai Chaudri is charged with assaulting McCarthy causing him harm and with violent disorder outside the ICON. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeCraig Cosgrave is charged with one count of violent disorder inside the ICON. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeKyle Hayes denies one count of assault causing harm and two counts of violent disorder. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeJai Chaudri denies one count of assaulting the complainant causing harm and one count of violent disorder. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeCraig Cosgrave denies one count of violent disorder. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeCraig Cosgrave is charged with violent disorder inside the Icon nightclub. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtTwo gardaí allegedly witnessed Hayes and others attacking the alleged victim outside the nightclub. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtAll three accused have pleaded not guilty to all charges. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe trial continues before Judge Dermot Sheehan on Wednesday. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtAll three accused deny the charges. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtMcCarthy is expected to give direct evidence when the trial resumes the next day. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe trial is before Judge Dermot Sheehan and a jury at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court and continues on Friday. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtHayes denies all three charges against him. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtCosgrave also denies the charge against him. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe judge told the jury it no longer had to concern itself with Jai Chaudri, who had been before the court on one count of violent disorder and one count of assault causing harm. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe defence said Hayes left the nightclub under his own steam while McCarthy had been ejected by security staff. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe prosecution says Hayes fled the scene and was captured by gardaí a short time later. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe defence suggested CCTV appeared to show McCarthy being ejected from the ICON by club security staff. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherA witness told the court he saw Hayes and others standing on and punching the alleged victim on the street. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherA witness said McCarthy's face and clothes were covered in blood when he found him. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherA witness said a number of men started assaulting McCarthy and Cosgrave while they were on the ground. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe group of men left the scene when gardaí arrived. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 24 Nov2023
    In courtirishtimes.com, first report
    Witness tells court he saw Kyle Hayes standing on and punching man outside club

    Reports witness evidence at the trial of Kyle Hayes and details of the charges against Hayes, Craig Cosgrave and Jai Chaudri. Says the trial continues on Tuesday.

    accused, Kyle Hayes, 25, male, named, irish (judged from name)Kyle Hayesvictim, Cillian McCarthy, 24, male, irish (judged from name)Cillian McCarthyaccused, Craig Cosgrave, 24, male, named, irish (judged from name)Craig Cosgraveaccused, Jai Chaudri, 22, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Jai Chaudri
  2. 23 Nov2023
    In courtirishtimes.com, first report
    Man tells court he was punched and kicked by group including All-Ireland winning Limerick hurler Kyle Hayes

    Reports the complainant's evidence in the continuing trial of three men, including Kyle Hayes, the charges they deny, and McCarthy's account of the injuries and the alleged assaults inside and outside the club.

    victim, Cillian McCarthy, 24, male, irish (judged from name)Cillian McCarthyaccused, Kyle Hayes, 25, male, named, irish (judged from name)Kyle Hayesaccused, Jai Chaudri, 22, named, non-irish (judged from name)Jai Chaudriaccused, Craig Cosgrave, 24, male, named, irish (judged from name)Craig Cosgrave
  3. 22 Nov2023
    In courtirishmirror.ie, first report
    All-Ireland winner's alleged assault victim was earlier attacked in nightclub

    Reports the trial of Kyle Hayes and two co-accused at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court, including the charges, the co-accused's charges, CCTV evidence, and the defence's challenge to the prosecution account.

    accused, Kyle Hayes, 25, male, named, irish (judged from name)Kyle Hayesvictim, Cillian McCarthy, 24, male, irish (judged from name)Cillian McCarthyaccused, Jai Chaudri, 22, male, named, irish (judged from name)Jai Chaudriaccused, Craig Cosgrave, 24, male, named, irish (judged from name)Craig Cosgrave
  4. 21 Nov2023
    In courtirishtimes.com, first report
    Limerick hurler Kyle Hayes ‘kicked and punched’ man who spoke to two women in nightclub, court hears

    Reports the trial at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court, including prosecution opening, CCTV evidence and cross-examination of a detective garda. The trial continues before Judge Dermot Sheehan.

    victim, Cillian McCarthy, 24, male, irish (judged from name)Cillian McCarthyaccused, Kyle Hayes, 25, male, named, irish (judged from name)Kyle Hayesaccused, Craig Cosgrave, 24, male, named, irish (judged from name)Craig Cosgraveaccused, Jai Chaudri, 22, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Jai Chaudri