Former Clare All-Star found not guilty of assaulting 12-year-old boy

He played for the Banner for over a decade.

Ex-Clare hurler, Niall Gilligan, has been found not guilty of assaulting a boy, 12, with a wooden stick on October 5, 2023.

The former All-Star and All-Ireland winner, played for Clare from 1997 to 2009, picking up two Munster SHC titles as well.

On Wednesday, July 23, he was found not guilty by a jury, after five hours of deliberation.

The charges alleged that he caused harm to the boy at Jamaica Inn Hostel, Mt Ivers, Broadford Rd, Sixmilebridge, Co Clare, which goes against Section 3 of the Offences Against the Person Act.

He also pleaded not guilty to the charge of producing a weapon ' capable of inflicting serious injury'. This is in contrary to Section 11 of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act.