8:20am Sunday 5th September 2010
By Vicki Stockman
A TEENAGE rugby player blamed the ‘red mist’ of anger after he repeatedly punched another player in an unprovoked assault during a game.
Liam Walsh, aged 19, of South Avenue, Orford, was playing for the Rylands Sharks Under 18s in a game against Wigan St Patrick on March 14 this year when he attacked opposition player George Brown.
Warrington Crown Court heard last Wednesday that with eight minutes remaining of the game and Rylands losing 44–0 Mr Brown was legitimately tackled to the ground by two Rylands players.
David Jones, prosecuting, said: “This defendant, who wasn’t involved in the tackle on Mr Brown, ran up to him and punched him in the face. He pulled his shirt over his head, pulled him to his feet and continued punching him in the face at least nine times.”
Video footage of the attack was shown to the court and Walsh bowed his head when it was shown.
Mr Brown suffered a hairline fracture to his left cheek, a broken nose and two black eyes.
Mr Jones said in Walsh’s interview that he had admitted ‘there had been a brawl that had occurred on the other side of the pitch and said red mist must have set in’.
The court heard how Walsh had no previous convictions and that he had already been handed an eight-month ban from playing by the rugby league authorities.
Simon Berkson, defending, said: “At an important part in his career he has acted in a way that has seen disciplinary action against him.That is a very long ban for any type of sporting bad behaviour.
“He owned up straight away. He has shown his remorse for what he did. He has written to his victim to apologise to him for what he has done. This offending is out of character.”
He also said that Walsh was reaching the end of a long apprenticeship that would be jeopardized by a spell in jail.
Judge David Swift said: “It was a serious and unpleasant example of assault of another player on the sports field.
“There were youngsters present at the time watching to have the opportunity to see older people playing sport and witnessing a disgusting incident that you should be fully ashamed of.”
Walsh was handed an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for two years and 200 hours unpaid work.
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