Fined for striking at coach

21st November 2008

Print
larger | smaller

A SOCCER dad has been fined and ordered to pay compensation after he punched his son's assistant coach in the head during a match.

Andrew Edward Johnson, 43, of Rocks Road Pie Creek, pleaded guilty to the charge of common assault in Gympie Magistrates Court on Monday after the coach made a complaint to police.

The incident occurred at around 12.30pm during a Football Gympie fixture game held on April 26 at the One Mile soccer fields.

Police Prosecutor Senior Constable Lisa Manns said Johnson's son, 13, was 10 minutes off starting his game when his father asked the complainant "did you say my son was useless?" Snr Const Manns said the complainant did not answer and was distracted by something on the field and in the next instant realised he was on the ground.

"The right side of his temple was sore and hot," she said. Witnesses at the scene, including children and parents, said the defendant had hit the complainant in the face and pushed his head into the ground. Johnson's solicitor John Doolan said moments before the altercation his client had learnt of an incident during a training session where his son was called useless by the assistant coach. Doolan said other parents present during the training session had heard the comment, the whole team was upset, and Johnson's son did not want to continue with training for the rest of the season Football Gympie vice president Mark Haas said the association thought of the event as a one off serious incident.

"We are confident of what we have in place in regards to behaviour management for spectators, parents and friends. Although in this situation a person went way too far," he said.

"Football Gympie takes behaviour seriously and any incidents are dealt with seriously. Football Gympie expects all spectators and players to abide by the code of conduct which is applied to everyone," Mr Haas said. Four days after the incident the complainant attended Gympie Hospital complaining of headaches.

Snr Const Manns said he still suffered the effects of the assault and had bruising for six days.

Doolan asked Magistrate Maxine Baldwin to not record a conviction for the offence saying the comments had a huge psychological impact on the boy.

Magistrate Baldwin said what Johnson did was appalling and regardless of what the coach did he shouldn't have been assaulted.

She said if the complainant had fallen and hit his head she could be dealing with an inquest or manslaughter charges. "I need to send a clear message...violence is having an unbelievable effect on children in our society," she said.

Mrs Baldwin also stressed violence at sporting matches where children were present was not to be tolerated. Johnson was fined $750 and ordered to pay $950 compensation.