Man’s jaw broken in street assault by football rival
A PLAYER with a top junior football team was forced to go on a liquid diet for six weeks after suffering a horror Halloween night injury when his jaw was broken by a rival.
The injured party, Darren Campbell, plays for Harryville Homers, who are currently holders of the Junior Cup and Junior Shield and turn out in the Ballymena Saturday Morning League.
Defendant Paddy Hudson (30) is a player and coach with All Saints Old Boys, also of the Ballymena Saturday Morning League.
After Hudson, of Bamber Park in the town, contested the charge at the town’s Magistrates Court on Thursday, he was convicted of inflicting grievous bodily harm on Mr Campbell during an incident at William Street on October 31, 2015.
Sentencing has been adjourned until the end of the month, and District Judge Peter King told the defendant he had in mind a “community disposal” and financial compensation for Mr Campbell.
In court both players gave conflicting accounts, claiming each had been the aggressor.
Judge King said it was an unusual case and he had a “very clear version of events” from Mr Campbell.
However, he said he was “just about satisfied” Hudson, who had a clear record, had caused the injury, whether he had intended to do so or not.
Mr Campbell told the court he was in the Fountain Bar watching sport on TV and left at 5.45pm, after having one drink, to go and get cigarettes from a nearby shop.
He told the court that when he was in William Street he heard somebody shout his name, and when he turned round Hudson punched him in the face.
Mr Campbell said he knew Hudson though football and asked why he did it.
He claimed the defendant replied: “You know what it’s for.”
He said he was “not the aggressor” and that it was a “bad area”, so he left and had a few more drinks before going home.
But early the next day he awoke in “absolute agony” and went to hospital, where it was established his jaw had been fractured.
He said he did not need surgery, but was put on a “six-week liquid diet”.
Mr Campbell said he and Hudson had an argument about five years previously in the Countryman’s pub, but said they had shaken hands since following football games between their teams.
He said he continued drinking because he was on “adrenalin” and didn’t know his jaw was broken.
After discovering the injury he reported the matter to police, saying: “I just didn’t want him to get away with it.”
Hudson told the court he left the Slemish Bar after two pints and was walking along William Street to meet his wife in another pub when he saw Mr Campbell approach.
He alleged Mr Campbell was “being loud” and boisterous before alleging Mr Campbell lunged at him and “grabbed me by the throat”.
Hudson said he was scared as Campbell “is quite a bit bigger than me” and he “wrestled” him to try and get him off, adding: “I definitely did not, 100%, punch him.”
The defendant said he did not report the matter to police as he did not want to involve the football team in something like this, as it would have made the situation a “lot worse”.
He claimed Mr Campbell, whom he described as a good footballer, was “acting like a bully” and was “the aggressor the whole time”.
Hudson said he did not know how the injury had been sustained.