A prominent Catholic priest made an unlikely appearance in Manhattan Supreme Court Tuesday to ask a judge for mercy on behalf of a real-estate developer facing jail time for harassing an ex-business partner.
Father Brian Jordan — who blessed the steel beam cross at Ground Zero — convinced Justice Laurie Peterson to sentence Howard Neu, 64, to 200 hours of community service, instead of 60 days jail.
Neu will spend that time renovating two bathrooms and storage space at the St. John the Baptist Church pantry in Midtown — a deal Jordan helped broker.
“When I met Howard, I knew right away he was a good, upright man. It’s better time served for New York,” said the priest, dressed in a Fransciscan robe. “He’s already been humbled by this.”
Neu, who is repped by celebrity attorney Edward Hayes, pleaded guilty to criminal contempt charges stemming from a July 2013 brawl with real-estate broker Gregory Rogers, who claimed the developer stiffed him on commissions in a real-estate deal.
In the tussle on W. 28th St. near Seventh Ave., where both men lived at the time, Neu beat Rogers, 44, with a bamboo stick and told him, “I just saw your girlfriend. I should have f—-d her up,” according to a criminal complaint.
Neu was rearrested three times for violating an order of protection obtained by Rogers and pleaded guilty to misdemeanor reckless assault charges, court papers say.
The pair is also duking it out in a pending lawsuit filed by Rogers in Manhattan Supreme Court for assault, battery, breach of contract and other causes of action.
Neu’s attorney Hayes chalked their beef up to an incomplete deal and said the two men kept running into each other because they lived on the same block.
“[Rogers] said he was entitled to a commission for a sale that never took place,” said Hayes, who’s represented actor Robert De Niro.
Hayes said Neu is happy to finally get the criminal matter behind him.
“He said, ‘I think I can do a lot more by renovating a homeless pantry than I can by being in jail,’” said Hayes, who brought Neu and Jordan together.
In addition to community service, Neu was also ordered to attend anger management classes and stay far away from Rogers.
When reached for comment, Rogers hung up on a reporter, while Neu declined to comment.?
