A footballer broke an opponent’s leg in two places during an on-pitch revenge attack, a court heard.
Nicholas Williams is alleged to have inflicted grievous bodily harm upon Andrew Barlow during a Welsh National Division one match between Cefn Albion and AFC Brynford.
At Caernarfon crown court today, prosecutors claimed Williams, 26, wanted his revenge on Mr Barlow over an earlier tackle. It was an “unlawful and maliciously inflicted” attack, they said.
The leg was so badly broken that Mr Barlow’s “toes were touching his knee”.
Giving evidence, Mr Barlow said: “He was getting angry. He was shouting at me ... I saw Williams coming towards me from behind on my right. I tried to jump out of the way. I couldn’t get high enough out of the challenge. He’s caught me with his studs in the middle of my shin. All I remember was looking up and seeing my leg flopping and going into the ground.”
The jury were shown photographs of the injuries.
'Lower leg was folded in half'
Mr Barlow said: “My toes were touching my knee. The lower leg folded in half.”
Asked if there was any way the defendant had tried to play the ball, Mr Barlow replied: “No chance.”
The court heard the incident - on October 10 last year - followed a “50-50 challenge” with Mr Barlow that Williams, 26, had protested to the referee about. But play was waved on.
Prosecutor Eleri Owen told the court 10 minutes later Mr Barlow controlled a bouncing ball on his thigh but had to move away as the defendant “came towards him in a stamping motion.”
And another 10 minutes after that, Cefn Albion won a free kick but Williams picked up the ball and kicked it, hitting Mr Barlow in the back.
Miss Owen said: “Mr Barlow laughed it off. The defendant said: ‘If you carry on laughing you are going to get it.”
The alleged assault happened when Mr Barlow had passed the ball up a wing and Williams, of Bodlyn, Acrefair , Wrexham , “ran at him” and “jumped in the air and kicked him”.
She added: “It snapped both his tibia and fibia and others heard both bones breaking. He was left in excruciating pain. His toes were touching his knee. The defendant was sent off and the game abandoned after 30 minutes.”
Miss Owen said the jury would have to decide whether it was “a late tackle for the ball or was it something that went way beyond what’s accepted on the football field and an unlawful kick.”
'Worst one I've seen in my time as referee'
Brynford coach Patrick Rush said: “It was a nasty challenge and it was late.”
Experienced FAW match referee Mark Stokes said: “It was forceful. That challenge was probably the worst one I have seen in my time as a referee. It wasn’t a challenge; it was a kick. There was no attempt to kick the ball.”
Brynford midfielder Nicholas Voyle said: “I said to Andrew: ‘Be careful’. I just heard the sound of Andrew’s leg snapping. I’d say he’s gone to hurt Andrew. The ball had gone. It was just disgusting.”
Williams denies grievous bodily harm. The case continues.
see-http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/cefn-albion-williams-broken-leg-11763632
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