Team captain Sion Daniel Williams was convicted of assault and will be sentenced next week
A goalkeeper who kicked an opponent in the back of the head after a mass brawl broke out during a football match has been found guilty of assault.
Prestatyn Sports captain Sion Daniel Williams had denied attacking Llanllyfni defender Sion Gethin Huws when players from both sides began fighting in the centre circle in a Welsh Alliance Division Two match which was later abandoned.
The incident happened near the end of the first half of a bad-tempered match on August 27 in which referee Aled Rhys William handed out eight yellow cards in the first 40 minutes, Caernarfon magistrates court heard.
Mr Williams said the assault took place after an altercation between two players when the Llanllyfni goalkeeper caught the ball from a corner kick.
As he was discussing the incident with one of his assistants a fight broke out near the centre circle involving several players from both sides.
Sion Huws told the court he had stayed clear of the melee but the group moved in his direction and he was caught up in the scuffles and was knocked to the ground.
The 21-year-old said he recalled being punched and kicked to the head, neck and back but had no idea who had assaulted him.
After calm was restored, police and an ambulance were called and it was initially feared Mr Huws had suffered serious injuries.
He told the court he was admitted to hospital and kept in overnight for tests and observation.
He was off work for two weeks and has had to change his job at a factory in Chwilog as he is no longer able to do any lifting and still suffered back pain.
Giving evidence, teamate Tim Cavanagh said he was on the sidelines that day and saw Mr Huws fall to the ground.
He then saw Williams, run up to the area and kick Mr Huws as he lay on the ground.
Asked by prosecutor Mel Hughes what sort of kick Mr Cavanagh said: “It was a forceful kick.”
Quizzed by defence solicitor Craig Hutchinson he said he had a clear, unobstructed view of the incident.
Referee Aled Williams also said he saw the Prestatyn goalkeeper deliver a kick to the back of Mr Huws’ neck and was standing some 20 yards away.
He said the goalkeeper’s light grey top made him distinctive from the yellow shirts worn by Llanllyfni and the blue of Prestatyn.
Giving evidence Williams, a 33-year-old factory worker denied kicking Mr Huws.
Accepting he was at the scene he claimed he had tried to break up the fighting.
Quizzed by the prosecutor he insisted the claims made by witnesses did not reflect what had happened that day.
But bench chairman David Llewelyn Jones said magistrates found the prosecution witnesses evidence “clear, consistent and corroborative”.
“We did not find the defence case credible,” he added.
Williams will be sentenced next week after probation reports have been prepared and was granted bail until the next hearing
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/prestatyn-sport-goalie-booted-llanllyfni-12412699
No comments:
Post a Comment