Jonathan Griffiths admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm on Alex Dombrandt.
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A RUGBY player has been ordered to pay £2,000 in compensation after he punched a member of the other team in the face during a match.
Jonathan Griffiths, who was playing for Glynneath RFC, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm on student Alex Dombrandt, who was playing for Cardiff Met RFC.
Mr Dombrandt's parents, who had travelled from Surrey to watch the match, took him to the University Hospital of Wales, where doctors found fractures to both sides of his jaw.
Sentencing at Cardiff Crown Court on Wednesday, Judge Geraint Walters said: "A single punch can sometimes leave permanent injuries.
"There is nothing uncommon about a single punch having devastating consequences."
Prosecutor Julian Greenwood said the incident occurred around 3pm, during the second half of a match at Cardiff Metropolitan University's Cyncoed campus on Saturday, April 23.
The court heard Mr Dombrandt, aged 19, who was studying sport and physical education, was walking away from a ruck when the defendant hit him.
Mr Greenwood said: "Suddenly he felt a violent impact to the right side of his face and felt excruciating pain. He fell to the ground with blood coming from his mouth."
Mr Dombrandt had an operation the next day, which involved one steel plate being inserted into the right side of his jaw and two steel plates into the left.
In a medical report, the doctor suggested numbness in his lip was likely to take up to 18 months to subside and he may never get full feeling back.
The court heard the complainant could not eat solid food for three weeks and had to move home with his parents in Surrey.
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He said he has had to work hard to regain his fitness, but has now fully recovered.
Griffiths, aged 27, of New Road in Skewen, who had no previous convictions, was arrested a few weeks after the incident and gave a prepared statement to the police.
He admitted the offence at Cardiff Magistrates' Court on August 17.
The judge asked: "What was he thinking when he did this?"
James McKenna, defending, replied: "It was completely idiotic behaviour."
He put his client's actions down to the "fast pace" and "tough nature" of the match, adding his actions were "wholly out of character".
The court heard his parents were going through a divorce at the time.
Mr McKenna said Griffiths, a mechanical engineer, had played semi-professional rugby for several clubs.
He added: "He is wholly and genuinely remorseful for his foolish behaviour on the day in question."
Judge Walters sentenced the defendant to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years.
He said: "As you well know, the town of Glynneath, in terms of rugby playing, has a proud history. You have, I accept, enjoyed a highly respected career of your own playing at club level."
But he added: "Players of that game do not accept foul play."
Griffiths was ordered to pay £2,000 in compensation, plus a £140 victim surcharge, and carry out 240 hours of unpaid work.
Read more: http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/glynneath-rugby-player-who-punched-an-opponent-during-a-match-ordered-to-pay-2k-in-compenstion/story-29676315-detail/story.html#ixzz4JHkd0SUI
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