British player charged in Sweden for blindsiding Welland’s Paille
STOCKHOLM — British-born Italian hockey player Thomas Larkin has been charged with assault for blindsiding an opponent during a game last year, a Swedish prosecutor said Thursday.
Larkin hit Daniel Paille, originally from Welland, and left him with a severe concussion.
Prosecutor Joakim Johansson said the incident took place on Nov. 7, 2017, during a game between Brynas, of the elite Swedish hockey league, and German team Adler Mannheim in Gavle. Larkin was playing for the German team.
According to the charge sheet obtained by The Associated Press, Paille is the plaintiff. After the hit, he was taken to hospital.
Two days after the incident, Larkin apologized on Twitter.
“It wasn’t my intention to cause an injury. I wanted to put pressure on the puck carrier behind the net. I would like to apologize to Daniel Paille and I hope he is back playing soon,” Larkin wrote.
Johansson said last month’s ruling by Sweden’s Supreme Court where a Swedish hockey player was found guilty of assault for cross-checking an opponent, paved the way for criminal prosecution.
Incidents on the ice in the National Hockey League have also been brought to court, including in 2004 when Vancouver Canucks player Todd Bertuzzi was charged with assault for a sucker-punch that left Colorado’s Steve Moore with a broken neck. Bertuzzi pleaded guilty and was sentenced to probation and community service.
In 2000, Marty McSorley was charged with hitting Canucks player Donald Brashear with his stick. McSorley was convicted of assault with a weapon, but he received an 18-month conditional discharge, meaning no jail time and no criminal record after probation.