THE FORMER CAPTAIN OF THE DERRY football team has been charged with the manslaughter of a man in Co Antrim at the weekend.
41-year-old Fergal Gerard Doherty was charged with his manslaughter of Aaron Law, aged 34 on October 30th this year.
Doherty appeared at Ballymena Magistrates’ Court in Antrim on Thursday.
He faced one charge of manslaughter in regards to the death of Mr Law at Portglenone on October 30.
Doherty gave an address of Pat’s Bar on Main Street in Portglenone, Co Antrim, and also confirmed that he understood the single charge against him.
Mr Law from the Portglenone area, was found lying unconscious in Main Street on Sunday.
The father of two had suffered a head injury and was taken to hospital, but later died.
What has allegedly happened?
A detective sergeant informed the court that the incident had taken place outside the pub owned by Mr Doherty
Around 20-30 people had been in the premiees, which also included a stag party.
He said that Mr Doherty and a member of door staff had told the police that weren't aware that an assualt had taken place
But Mr Doherty was arrested later that day and gave a full account of what really happened outside his pub.
He said Mr Doherty followed the member of door staff as they escorted Mr Law outside the bar, and it quickly turned into a"verbal altercation".
"This was in the middle of the road, Mr Law attempted to hit Mr Doherty and Mr Doherty reacted by punching Mr Law to the face causing Mr Law to fall back on to his head and his head connecting with the road," the police officer told the court.
Mr Law was described as left lying in the middle of the road, where at one point a car had to brake to avoid colliding with him.
The police officer said a witness said Mr Law was lying on the road for between 10 to 15 minutes before Doherty and the door staff member returned, pulled him on to the footpath and propped him against the wall of the bar.
While the court was told there is CCTV evidence, it is from a distance and of low quality.
An ambulance was called at 1.08am.
Doherty was arrested shortly after Mr Law died in hospital at around 4.40pm on Sunday.
Former Derry GAA star Fergal Doherty charged with manslaughter over Portglenone death of Aaron Law https://t.co/5rXUXIPN6L
— The Irish News (@irish_news) November 3, 2022
Defence claims 'clear case of self-defence'
Defence barrister for Mr Doherty Joe Brolly told the court that his client admitted to "striking Mr Law, but also added that it was done in 'clear self-defence'
“Aaron Law threw a punch at him, and he threw one punch back at him and Mr Law fell back and hit his head, contending there is no evidence that contradicts Doherty’s account of what happened.
He said later that morning when it became clear Mr Law was very seriously injured, Doherty called Mr Law’s brother-in-law to tell him it was him who punched Mr Law, and that he would hand himself in to police.
Mr Brolly said Doherty drove to his parents’ house to tell them what happened before he intended to hand himself in to police, adding that Doherty has “shown terrible grief and remorse”.
He said Doherty is a “very, very well-known young man”, having previously represented Derry, Bellaghy and Ulster playing GAA with distinction.
“He has a clear record, he has never been in any trouble with the police,” he said.
Mr Brolly said his client has a roofing business which employs 12 men and was involved with the renovation of the Ravenhill stadium in Belfast.
“Mr Doherty wept in the course of the interview … he had attempted to retreat at the time of the incident itself. It is a terrible, terrible tragedy,” he said.
“Mr Doherty wants to offer his great sympathies to the family. He will no longer be taking any involvement with the pub, and the pub will remain closed now as it has done since the incident.
“In all the circumstances in this case, it is as obvious a case of self-defence as I’ve come across in 30 years of practising as a defence criminal lawyer," Brolly added.
District Judge Nigel Broderick denied bail due to the live police investigation into serious allegations, that police were still to speak to some witnesses and that it is a small rural community.
“There is a concern that the court would have that there is a risk that the defendant could either interfere with the investigation or the course of justice. That was the only reason I’m not minded to admit him to bail,” he said, adding bail could be revisited when the witnesses have been spoken to.
Responding, Mr Brolly said they intend to go to the High Court immediately to appeal against that decision.
“I am frankly at a loss,” he told the court.
The case is next to be mentioned on December 1.
