Rustington dad jailed for punching ref

Terry Kether, 36, of North Court Close, Rustington, hit Michael Sanbrook after he disagreed with a decision made at a game between Wick Dynamos and Pulborough Pythons, held at Summerlea School in November.

Worthing Magistrates' Court heard that Kether, while watching his son play in goal for the Wick team, shouted and swore at Mr Sanbrook, before going onto the pitch and punching him in the face "three or four times".

Prosecuting, Melanie Wotton, said that Kether had been angered after a Wick player fell down, and play was allowed to continue, resulting in the Pythons scoring.

Mr Sanbrook, a trainee referee, admitted that he had made a " few mistakes" during the game that had upset spectators, Kether in particular.

"When the Wick player went down I went over to see if he was OK, and he said that he was fine, so I said play on."

After the goal, Kether, who pleaded not guilty, then went onto the pitch, and witnesses said they saw Mr Sanbrook fall to the ground, and Kether repeatedly hitting him in the head and face.

Unemployed Kether told the court that he was upset that the injured player had not been attended to.

"Yes, I was shouting at Michael to stop the game so that the boy could be taken off, but the game just carried on around the injured boy.

"Yes, I wanted to hit him, but I didn't."

He added that the children were upset by the incident, so he left and waited in the car park for the remainder of the game.

Sentencing at Chichester Magistrates' Court yesterday (Wednesday) Eileen Merchant, chairman of the bench, said: " It was a sustained attack. You continued to hit the victim while he was on the ground.

"This took place in front of children, and when the victim was carrying out a service to the public."

A 12-week prison sentence was handed down, along with an order to pay 100 compensation to Mr Sanbrook.

On a separate charge, of theft from a shop, he was given a four week term, to run concurrently.

*For the full story, see this week's Littlehampton Gazette, on sale now.

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