A man who claims footballer Jeff Hendrick pulled him out of a taxi says he doesn’t remember becoming a "menace" when he met him inside a Dublin nightclub.
The Republic of Ireland footballer is accused of violent disorder at Harcourt Street on October 12th 2013.
Jonathan Doran of Kilmore Close in Artane in Dublin is also facing the charge - as well as a charge of assault causing harm to Darren McDermott.
Sean Gillane, who’s representing Jeff Hendrick, began his cross-examination of Darren McDermott by saying he wasn’t challenging the fact he suffered injuries he ought not to have suffered on the night in question.
The court heard he required emergency surgery when his jaw was fractured in three places after being beaten up near Krystle nightclub on Harcourt Street in Dublin city centre.
Mr Hendrick isn’t accused of assaulting Mr McDermott. He’s facing one charge of violent disorder – an offence which carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison on conviction.
The Republic of Ireland were beaten by Germany in a World Cup qualifier on October 11th 2013.
Mr McDermott had watched it in a pub with some friends and later ended up Krystle where he bumped into two men he knew who were out with Jeff Hendrick.
Yesterday, Mr McDermott told the jury everything was fine during their early exchanges and they were shown a photo taken on his phone which the professional footballer happily posed for.
But he said Mr Hendrick then became aggressive and threatening towards him for no reason and later pulled him out of a taxi as he was trying to leave the area. He said he tried to run away but was chased by a number of men and beaten across the head and body as he lay on the ground of a laneway.
Today, Mr Gillane asked him if he remembered becoming a bit of a "menace" or a "nuisance" after the photo was taken.
He asked if he remembered putting his arms around people or becoming touchy-feely and being told to “F off”.
Mr McDermott said he didn’t.
He also said he’d no recollection of slagging off Jeff Hendrick’s teammates nor did he remember calling them crap or useless.
Mr Gillane put it to him that what happened that night was effectively drunken handbags between two people in a nightclub.
Mr McDermott countered by asking why the bouncers had to intervene if that was the case.
His cross-examination continues.
