‘Handbags at dawn’ led to serious injury (From Cotswold Journal)

‘Handbags at dawn’ led to serious injury

8:00am Friday 10th August 2012 in Cotswolds

A FOOTBALLER who punched an opponent during a match and fractured his jaw after a bout of “handbags at dawn” has been given a suspended jail sentence.

Jamie Insall, aged 20, who used to play for Pershore Town, punched another player from behind, fracturing his jaw and leaving him needing two permanent metal plates in his jaw. Insall, of Lichfield Road, Ronkswood, was in a match against Coventry Copswood on December 31 last year, Worcester Crown Court was told.

In a match watched by members of the public, the home team led 1-0 halfway through when one of the Pershore players put in a sliding tackle on Copswood's Christopher Cheslin for a 50-50 ball, Jonathan Veasey-Pugh, prosecuting,said.

The Pershore player was booked and Mr Cheslin squared up to him, head to head.

The referee showed Mr Cheslin a red card and a number of players went towards the incident. Insall ran at full speed past the ref and swung a punch at Mr Cheslin from behind, catching him on the right side of the jaw and knocking him onto his hands and knees.

Mr Veasey-Pugh said it was the momentum of the run which caused the blow to land with such force. There was blood in Mr Cheslin’s mouth and two teeth were twisted.

Both players were sent off and Mr Cheslin later went to hospital. He was operated on the following day and two permanent metal plates were put into his jaw.

Insall, who pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm, said he was acting in defence of his friend and did not think he had hit Mr Cheslin so hard. Judge John Cavell gave Insall a nine month sentence suspended for two years with 250 hours of unpaid work in the community over the next 12 months.

He was also ordered to pay £1,500 compensation to Mr Cheslin within a year.