first assault charge

[scared-stiff]

i punched a linesman at a sunday football match, we had been argueing with each other throughout the game then he came into my face shouting and attempted to hit me with his flag. i punched him only once resulting in 4 stitches to my hand and 5 stitches to his upper lip. i checked he was concious and left the seen to defuse the situation, he wasn't left on his own as there were spectators next to him. none of the players seen it but are now saying they did as my name and address is on the league website with my picture. so all of a sudden they are all saying i attacked him for no reason. i am awaiting the police to arrest me and am very worried, i am in my late 20's with my first child about to be born any day now and the stress is breaking me. i have never been charged with anything only a caution for criminal damage. what do i do when the police come? await a solicitor and stay silent? i do have a few witnessess who witnessed my version but still worried.

[bednobs]

1) it sounds like your version and their version are exactly the same. They saw you hit him, you say you hit him. Wouldn't it be better to go to the police statrion rather than have it look like you ran away then wait for them to pick you up?

[ummmm]

Agree with bednobs. Hand yourself in.

[scared-stiff]

wat would happen to me? will i get locked up?

[ummmm]

Probably not. Obviously no one can say 100% but it's unlikely.

[scared-stiff]

would u recommend a duty solicitor or go and get my own tomorrow before handing myself in

[bednobs]

whatever will happen if you go to them yourself cant be any worse than what would happen if you wait for them to pick you up!

[factor-fiction]

I wouldn't expect the league and FA to let you play again for quite some time

[ummmm]

I would go by yourself. He might not have even reported it.

[scared-stiff]

he has, various comments on the league forum as im the manager of our team. think the fa will kick our team out, but more worried about leaving my pregnant wife behind for awhile

[rsvp]

the best course of action is to limit the damage and you can only do that by voluntarily handing yourself in for questioning. It will act in your favour whereas if you wait to be picked up it will not look too good. Either way you are going to get nicked so make it easier on yourself and face up to the consequences of your actions. After all, you are responsible for them.

[bednobs]

i don't think there is any harm in ringing up a solicitor in the morning (assuming they don't come for you tonight) and discussing, then going alone and calling the solicitor if you need her

[joko]

how do you know who saw you? i assume you were on the pitch in the middle of a heated argument... in front of other players and spectators... sounds like lots saw it...

if he really did try to hit you with his flag you need to try and see if any specatators saw that...

[mickrog]

You are the manager?.....well if you do get locked up let me know and then perhaps we can intimidate McLeish down Villa Park to do the same and he can be locked up out of the way too

[EDDIE51]

You have not been charged yet and very possibly a formal complaint has not been made. Unless the person you hit has reported it to the police nothing will be done. At least not by the police, the football league are another matter.
They may well penalise you or your team for misconduct.
I suggest you talk to the man you hit and apologize , if he has not made a formal complaint about it to the police you will not be facing a criminal charge .You can ask him if he is pressing charges , I suspect he will say No.
To be honest the police have more to worry about than an argument on a football field, I dought they will be interested.

[flip_flop]

I agree with Eddie - I've seen and (unfortunately) been involved in similar incidents on the rugby field, granted not with the officials, but I can't see the difference. It is the act not who the act is perpetrated against which is material, surely.

This strikes me as a classic case of handbags.

[scared-stiff]

spoke to a solicitor today who contacted the police, they have arranged for me to go in with the solicitor on sunday. they will be arresting me for a case higher than abh ( think it was causing bodily harm with serious injuries with neglegance)