Assaulted referee

A 29-year-old man who assaulted a referee at the half time break in a football match has been bound over to keep the peace.
By The Newsroom
Published 8th Jan 2010, 09:39 BST
Updated 8th Jan 2010, 16:13 BST

Denis Martin Cox, of Barrs Lane, faced a charge of common assault relating to an incident on December 14, 2008.

Londonderry Magistrate’s Court heard the referee was assaulted a short time after he blew the whistle for half time.

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Cox ran onto the pitch and punched the injured party several times. He was arrested a short time later and during police interview he made partial admissions to the assault but claimed he had been acting in self-defence.

Defence solicitor Paddy McDaid revealed to the court the injured party was Cox's brother-in-law.

“He found out he was being unfaithful and got involved in this incident,” the solicitor stated, adding, Cox did not 'think straight at the time and it not usually the sort of behaviour he engages in.'

Ordering the 29-year-old to be bound over on his own recognizance of 750 for a period of two years, District Judge Barney McElholm said Cox was not to assault other people.