Football star Paul McGrath is given coaching order
Former Villa star Paul McGrath has been ordered by a judge to coach young children football after he admitted to a drunken outburst at a family wedding.
The troubled ex-football star said he could not remember the incident during which he was arrested, just over two weeks ago, after a drinking binge at a hotel in Tullamore, Co Offaly in the Irish Republic.
And when he appeared in court yesterday the judge asked him if he would coach local children in order to escape prosecution, to which McGrath agreed.
Garda inspector John Lawless said McGrath was drunk, acting in a disturbed manner and attempting to get into two parked cars at the Tullamore Court Hotel when staff called police on June 29.
Judge Alan Mitchell said he was taking into consideration that the former Manchester United and Aston Villa defender was a 'national hero' and 'one of the greatest soccer players in Ireland'.
Solicitor Donal Farrelly told Tullamore District Court that McGrath, 53, suffers a debilitating disorder, whereby he suffers acute anxiety during social occasions and is usually chaperoned.
But during the family wedding, his agent could not make it and he had a couple of drinks to help him cope, but continued to drink all day Friday and into Saturday, the court heard.
The court was also told of McGrath's five previous convictions, including a public order offence, drink driving, assault, driving with no insurance and the unauthorised taking of a car.
Ordering McGrath to give a day's coaching to children at Tullamore Town Soccer Club, Judge Mitchell said he would give him an unconditional discharge, providing he stayed out of trouble.
