Man who assaulted referee regrets offer to stand as bail surety for Islamic State suspect Lisa Smith

A convicted GAA brawler, who offered to pay Isil terror suspect Lisa Smith’s bail surety, has said he wouldn’t have done it if he knew what he was walking into.

Paul Grimes, from Dundalk, Co Louth, had offered to put up the €5,000 as an independent surety, which included a cash lodgement of €1,000, in a bid to satisfy bail conditions that would have allowed Ms Smith to go free for Christmas.

But the offer was rejected at a special sitting of the District Court after it emerged that Mr Grimes had several convictions dating back 40 years.

One of them included assaulting referee Martin Sludden after he allowed the goal which cost Louth the 2010 Leinster football final.

Source: Independent