Player Thomas Taylor, of Trearddur Bay FC, was sentenced to 24 weeks in prison, although the sentence was suspended for one year, after admitting that he brutally struck his rival Danny Brookwell with an elbow in the middle of a match.
The incident occurred in January, during a match against CPD Porthmadog in the Ardal North West League, the third tier of Welsh football.
Images of the incident quickly went viral: Taylor delivered a direct elbow to Brookwell’s face when the ball was not even in play, seconds before a penalty.
The victim fell to the ground and suffered a concussion, bleeding from the mouth and nose, as well as physical and emotional aftereffects. After the complaint was filed, Caernarfon Magistrates’ Court considered the assault serious enough to issue a criminal conviction.
Trearddur Bay FC immediately suspended the footballer and publicly stated that it does not tolerate violent or illegal conduct from its players. In addition to the sentence, Taylor will have to pay financial compensation and cover court costs.
The case generated a strong reaction in the United Kingdom because it is one of the most severe sanctions imposed on an amateur footballer for an assault on the pitch.
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