A Nottinghamshire Sunday league footballer knocked a referee to the floor and kicked him after disagreeing with an offside decision. Craig Binch, from Daybrook, admitted to assaulting the official during a match at Carlton Hill Recreation Ground on October 16 last year.
The 33-year-old also squirted a bottle of water into the face of the referee whilst he was laid on the floor, Nottingham Magistrates' Court heard. An account of the victim, Simon Reast, was read out to the court at the sentencing of Binch on Thursday, June 1, stating he had been left in tears by the abuse.
Tensions flared at around the 75-minute mark of the game. Binch, who was playing for Rockhill Imperial, complained to Mr Reast after he overruled his linesman on an offside call.
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"He then shouted abuse at Mr Reast, calling him a rubbish referee, so he told him to sit in the sin bin," said Nicole Baughn, prosecuting. "Binch refused, he called him a d***head and said he would bite his fingers off."
Mr Reast then showed the player a red card, meaning he had to leave the field of play. "Binch suddenly turned round and came towards him, looking really angry and scary.
"He kicked him to his legs and knocked him to the floor," said Ms Baughn. "He was then kicked again whilst on the floor to his back and buttocks. Mr Reast said he [Binch] used a considerable amount of force."
Players managed to pull Binch away, however he then "found a water bottle, ran back and squirted him in the face whilst he was still laying on the floor" before the game was eventually abandoned. Ms Baughn said Mr Reast began crying after the game as he "couldn't quite believe what had happened and was in shock".
He went to the hospital as he suspected he had a fracture, which proved not to be the case. Binch, who has been banned from playing football for six years by Nottinghamshire FA, "lost his temper in a way that was completely out of character", according to his solicitor James Buckley.
The defendant denied kicking the referee to the floor, saying he instead tripped him, and said the force of the kicks whilst on the ground were not of "considerable force". "It was clearly out of character, he is a hardworking family man," said Mr Buckley.
"He has played football regularly for 13 years and until this date there had been no problems or incidents. Even he would say he lost the plot.
"He was in the away team and it was somewhat of a local derby, it was a very tense point in the match. And there was extra tension for him as he used to play for the home team.
"There's no excuse for it. He perceived it to be an injustice, it doesn't justify the behaviour but I hope you can see how it seemed to happen.
"He has been banned by the FA from playing for six years. As a man at 33 it is effectively the end of his football career."
Binch, of Home Grove Court, Sherbrook Road, Daybrook, was given a 12-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. He was also ordered to pay £389 in costs and put on an anger management course.
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