A Wales rugby union international who punched a man in an Australian hotel bar while celebrating a British and Irish Lions win must pay thousands of pounds in compensation to his victim.
Craig Mitchell, 27, who has represented his country in 15 tests, had travelled to Australia to watch the Lions tour. The fight broke out on Sunday at the Normanby Hotel in Brisbane, following the Lions’ first test win over the Wallabies.
He was given a six-month prison sentence suspended for two years, fined $1,800 (£1,100) and ordered to pay $3000 in compensation to lawyer Cian Barry.
At his sentencing on Friday in the Brisbane magistrates court, he apologised to Barry, saying: “My actions … were totally unacceptable and unforgivable.”
But after the case Barry said Mitchell should have been jailed, and said the apology meant nothing.
The court was told Barry had been trying to smooth over an altercation between his friends and a group of Lions supporters after some jovial sporting banter turned serious, the Associated Press reported.
He was first punched by Welsh tourist Richard Andrew Davies, and then by Mitchell, who travelled to Australia after taking part in Wales’ two-Test series with Japan earlier this month.
Magistrate Anne Thacker fined Davies $1,000 and ordered him to pay Barry $2,000 in compensation. She told Mitchell she needed to make an example of him.
“It has to deter other Australians from this sort of behaviour at football matches,” she said.
Mitchell’s lawyer, John Cook, said he could not say what implications it would have for his client’s playing career, but his passport had been returned and he 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],” Cook said.
Mitchell, who admitted aggravated assault occasioning bodily harm, spent Thursday night in custody after he expressed reservations about paying compensation at short notice.
The prop joined Exeter from the Ospreys on an initial two-year contract in 2011, and signed a one-year extension to his deal with the Aviva Premiership club last season.
Exeter and the Welsh Rugby Union declined to comment on the matter.
Article source: http://www.express.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/408032/Scott-Johnson-raging-over-Scotland-sin-bin-decision
Welsh rugby star Craig Mitchell escapes jail over Brisbane brawl
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