Four arrested over savage assault on ref

FOUR men have been arrested for an alleged savage assault on a soccer referee earlier this month.

The men, two aged in their 20s, one teenager and one man in his 40s, were arrested yesterday morning. They were last night being held at Mullingar, Tullamore and Birr Garda stations.

Referee Daniel Sweeney was left with serious facial injuries, including a broken jaw, following an alleged attack after the match in Horseleap, Co. Offaly on 11 November. The FAI has launched an investigation.

Last Friday, three soccer players from Mullingar Town were banned from football for 40 years for the alleged assault. Additionally, a former Mullingar Town player, who was a spectator at the game and who was already subject to a lifetime playing ban, was handed down a life ban from any role in football.

Announcing the bans in a statement, the Combined Counties Football League said last week the ‘vicious, unprecedented level of violence’ directed at the referee was ‘unprovoked, unwarranted and unjustifiable’.

The Mail revealed last week that one of the four suspects is out on bail for assault and threats to kill.

One of the other suspects, closely related to the man on bail, has criminal convictions as a result of a long-running feud with a Traveller family. This second man also has convictions for criminal damage and possession of a bat.