A Wales rugby player who punched a man in an Australian pub has been given a suspended jail sentence and ordered to pay nearly £2,000 in compensation.
Craig Mitchell, 27, was arrested on Sunday morning after knocking lawyer Cian Barry unconscious with a single punch at the Normanby Hotel in Brisbane.
Mitchell had travelled to Australia to watch the Lions Tour when the fight broke out following the team’s first Test win against the Wallabies.
The Exeter Chiefs player admitted aggravated assault occasioning bodily harm after he waded into the altercation between fans that Mr Barry was trying to calm down.
Mitchell was given a six-month prison sentence suspended for two years and fined £1,180.
He was also ordered to pay £1,966 in compensation to Mr Barry.
Speaking at his sentencing at Brisbane Magistrates Court, Mitchell apologised to Mr Barry, who needed stitches to his face.
“My actions … were totally unacceptable and unforgivable,” he said.
But after the case, Mr Barry said Mitchell should have been jailed, saying the apology meant nothing.
“He comes running in from 10 metres away from the side and smashes me off my feet,” Mr Barry said.
“Luckily I had some people around who caught me so didn’t smash the head on the ground too hard but it could have been a lot more ugly.
“I just hope the government does something about tightening up the legislation so that from this point on there’s some real changes.”
Mr Barry was first punched by Welsh tourist Richard Andrew Davies, and then by Mitchell.
Davies was also fined £654 and ordered to pay Mr Barry £1,310 in compensation over the brawl.
Mitchell’s lawyer John Cook said Mitchell had his passport back and was free to leave the country.
“We’re in a position now where he wants to head off, he’s had a night in the watch house, he had very little sleep and was obviously very anxious because a term of imprisonment (was possible),” he said.
Mitchell spent Thursday night in custody ahead of his sentencing after he expressed reservations about paying compensation at short notice.
Article source: http://www.rugbyweek.com/news/article.asp?id=39511
Wales Rugby Star Mitchell Fined Over Pub Brawl
No comments:
Post a Comment