Kiwi pleads guilty to assault in Ireland

Photo / iStock

An expat Kiwi rugby player has pleaded guilty to assault in Dublin after glassing a man at a popular hotel bar.

Tyron Davies, 23, formerly of Christchurch, is on bail awaiting sentencing in the Dublin District Court for the attack, which left his victim with three scars on his face.

The court heard that Davies, who has no fixed address in Ireland but is involved with a Kildare Rugby Club, had a row with the man, who wasn't known to him, at Dicey Reilly's Bar in the Russell Court Hotel.

A witness said words were exchanged then Davies struck the man in the face with the glass, which he was holding at the time.

It broke on impact and cut the man's face on his nose, under his eye and on his cheek. Davies' hand was also cut, the Independent Ireland reported.

When he made his latest appearance in court, Davies - who played in the championship-winning St Bede's 1st XV in Christchurch in 2010 - wrote a letter of apology and offered to pay his victim £200 ($330).

The court heard that Davies, who plans to return to New Zealand next month, was co-operative at all stages following his arrest.

At the time, he did not realise the seriousness of what he had done. He had now expressed his remorse.