FAI coach who stabbed his close friend six years ago is jailed

By Eimear Dodd

An FAI coach who stabbed his close friend six years ago has been jailed for two year and three months.

Matthew Hayes Rice (29) pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on June 15, 2020 at Exchange Hall, Belgard Square North, Tallaght, Dublin 24.

The maximum sentence for assault causing harm at that time was five years’ imprisonment.

Detective Garda Kevin Bowen told Pieter Le Vert BL, prosecuting, that Hayes Rice and the injured party were good friends and both had addresses in the Exchange Hall complex at the time.

On June 15, 2020, Hayes Rice rang the victim looking for a cigarette, which she brought to his flat.

They chatted for a while, before Hayes Rice asked if he and his two sisters could to go to her home.

She agreed that the defendant and one of his sisters could come to her apartment, but she said there was to be no drugs taken and no trouble in her home.

At her home, the woman was chatting to Hayes Rice, when she noticed his sister taking tablets.

She told his sister to leave and there was a physical confrontation, during which the sister kicked the woman in the mouth.

The fight spilled out into the hall and Hayes Rice initially got between the two women, before he and his sister attacked the victim.

The court heard that the next thing the victim remembers, there were people in her home and she had been stabbed.

Hayes Rice had had the knife in his pocket. A photo of it was shown to the court.

The woman was taken to Tallaght Hospital where she was treated for a 9cm deep stab wound to her side.

She also sustained cuts to her face during the initial altercation.

Footage of the fight in the hall was shown to the court.

The injured party identified Hayes Rice.

She also showed gardai a message he sent her after the incident which said “sorry about last night”, that her phone was in his home, and his in her home.

When gardai went to his home, they spoke to his sister, who confirmed she’d been in the victim’s apartment and a fight had started.

Nothing of evidential value was obtained when Hayes Rice spoke to gardai.

There was no victim impact statement. Hayes Rice has a number of previous convictions and took three bench warrants in this case, the court was told.

Det Gda Bowen agreed with Sarah Jane O’Callaghan BL, defending, that her client has a very difficult background.

It was further accepted that Hayes Rice has “tested the patience” of gardai, the court and the victim, but is sorry.

Ms O’Callaghan said her instructions are that Hayes Rice took the knife off his sister.

The garda replied he was not aware where the knife had come from.

Counsel said her client is aware he is “extremely fortunate” not to be facing a more serious charge in this matter.

She said the CCTV footage was “shocking and grim”.

She said his background meant that “violence in his eyes was normalised”.

Ms O’Callaghan submitted her client’s judgement was “clouded on the night” and he was initially trying to protect his sister.

She said his “intentions started honourable but he lost control”.

Hayes Rice is a qualified FAI coach.

A number of letters from family, FAI and Shamrock Rovers were handed to the court.

Ms O’Callaghan said the letter writers are aware that her client is before the court. Her client has three young children.

She told the court that a considerable period of time has elapsed since this incident took place and her client is aware that he could have dealt with this case sooner.

Counsel submitted her client “had his head in the sand” but has taken steps to change his life.

Judge Martin Nolan said the court had viewed the CCTV of the assault which was “quite graphic”.

He noted the victim sustained a “severe wound” to her body and thankfully, as far as the court is aware, she has since recovered.

The judge said it “does him no credit” that Hayes Rice took bench warrants, but noted the mitigation and his personal circumstances.

Judge Nolan said that the maximum sentence available at the time was five years and that the maximum sentence for assault causing harm is now 10 years.

He set a headline sentence of four years and six months which he reduced to two years and three months.

The judge directed that Hayes Rice should receive credit for any time served in custody on this case.