Olympic boxing medallist John Joe Nevin has appeared in court charged in relation to an alleged criminal damage incident.

Nevin (25) made a brief appearance at Longford District Court yesterday, where he was charged with causing €200 worth of damage to ornaments and a glass cabinet belonging to a Rosemarie Nevin.

He was granted bail at the hearing and was remanded to appear again at Mullingar District Court in April.

The alleged offence happened at a property in the Ardleigh Vale estate in Mullingar, Co Westmeath on Monday.

Attempts by the Herald to contact the top boxer were unsuccessful last night.

The Mullingar-based Traveller is now pursuing a career as a professional boxer after he won a silver medal in the 2012 London Olympic games.

In October 2013, he announced that he was turning professional - four months after he won a gold medal at the European Amateur Boxing Championships in the Bantamweight division.

Nevin made his professional debut in a super featherweight bout on March 17, 2014, against Alberto Candelaria, winning by unanimous decision.

Setback

However, his professional career had a major setback after he had two legs broken in an assault by a gang of men last April.

He was left in a wheelchair with two broken legs after the fight outside a house in Mullingar.

The boxer's right leg was broken in two places and he fractured his left leg just above the ankle.

However, in a media interview last December, the sports star said he had put the horrific incident behind him and is back on speaking terms with the man who inflicted his injuries.

The father-of-one said: "We have shook hands, enjoyed a drink and just put what happened behind us. I'm back on speaking terms with him.

"I'm just getting on with my life and I've forgiven the person who attacked me."

At the time of the attack, Nevin claimed the assault happened as a result of a row in which he was acting as a peacemaker.

Last November, Nevin took just 88 seconds to win in his first pro fight in Ireland against England's Jack Heath at the 3 Arena.

"It was difficult for me when I was in a wheelchair but the only thing I'm doing now is looking forward," he said in the interview.

Online Editors