Jailed...black belt teacher who broke ‘idling’ pupil’s jaw
A BLACK belt instructor who shattered a man’s jaw with one punch because he was unhappy with his commitment in a martial arts class has been jailed.
Jiu jitsu expert Sergio Robalo, 34, lost his temper with student Graham Jenkins because he thought he was allegedly idling.
The pair clashed when they were sparring in class but Portuguese national Robalo carried it on as Mr Jenkins got changed.
Robalo, who has since been sentenced to seven-and-a-half years for robbery in Portugal, was jailed for a further two years after pleading guilty to grievous bodily harm at Stokeon-Trent Crown Court.
The assault took place at a gym in Burslem, Stoke.
Mr Jenkins was in Robalo’s class and considered him a friend, the court heard.
But during the session Robalo got angry because of what he thought was an alleged lack of commitment.
He decided to spar with Mr Jenkins and during the fight deliberately hurt him and would not release when Mr Jenkins “tapped out” to concede defeat.
Mr Jenkins was shocked. Then as he got changed, Robalo struck him to the left side of his face, leaving him with a broken jaw and tooth. Prosecutor Fiona Cortese said Mr Jenkins attended a jiu jitsu gym in 2013 when Robalo was instructing.
But after a family bereavement, Mr Jenkins could not attend the classes for about 10 days.
When he returned on August 20, he said he soon became tired and decided to rest but Robalo took exception.
Mr Jenkins took part in the next sparring match but lost deliberately so he could again sit out.
Miss Cortese said: “The defendant’s attitude changed. He demanded Mr Jenkins sparred with him. Mr Jenkins was a white belt but the defendant was a black belt.
“In the victim’s view, the defendant was far too aggres- sive. At one point he screamed out to end the spar and he was assisted with the removal of the defendant from him.
“Mr Jenkins walked towards the edge of the mat and started to get changed.
“The defendant said, ‘If you ever do that again’, and punched him to the left side of his jaw once. One of his teeth fractured and he fractured his jaw in two places. Metal plates had to be inserted.”
Anis Ali, defending, said Robalo, of no fixed address, was jailed for seven-and-a-half years in 2016 for a robbery in Portugal in September 2013 – just a month after the assault on Mr Jenkins.
Robbery
Mr Ali said: “He felt Mr Jenkins was not taking matters seriously. He objected to the approach taken by the complainant. It was a single blow.”
Judge Paul Glenn told Robalo: “As an instructor you have to control your temper and use skills appropriately.
“Owing to Mr Jenkins’ lack of commitment, you decided to spar with him.
“You went much too far. You knew he was much less able than you were and you deliberately inflicted pain upon him.”
Robalo will serve half the sentence and then be returned to Portugal for the rest of his term for the robbery.