Striker Gary Madine Jailed For Attacks
The Sheffield Wednesday footballer broke one victim's nose and shattered another man's cheekbone in two assaults.
The 23-year-old arrives at Leeds Crown Court for sentencing
A Championship footballer has been jailed for 18 months after he was found guilty of two separate nightclub attacks.
Sheffield Wednesday striker Gary Madine, 23, who has a previous
conviction for knocking a man out in a Carlisle pub, punched Wednesday
fan Daniel Beresford in the Paris Bar in Sheffield city centre in
February last year, breaking his nose.Four weeks later, he punched bricklayer and Sheffield United fan Reece Hall in the city's Viper Room club, shattering his cheekbone.
He was jailed at Leeds Crown Court after being found guilty by a jury following a week-long trial last month.
Judge Rodney Jameson QC sentenced the footballer, who will now automatically be sacked by his club, to six months for the Actual Bodily Harm (ABH) on Mr Beresford, and 12 months for the offence of Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH) against Mr Hall.
Alison Dorrell, defending Madine - known by some Wednesday fans as Goal Machine - said he had thrown away his talent due to "drink, childish behaviour and a temper problem".
"He is not an asset to his club any more," she said, and added he would struggle to re-start his career after serving a prison sentence.
Judge Jameson said the assaults occurred when the footballer "lashed out" when drunk with "little, if any, thought for the consequences".
He said: "When sober there is no reason to suppose that you would misbehave but I have to sentence you for serious offences which reflect the other side of your character.
"The side which comes out when you are in drink, which causes unprovoked violence causing serious injuries to innocent members of the public."
The judge said Madine had chosen not to "suppress" that side of his character.
However, Judge Jameson said other professional footballers had rebuilt careers after serving time in jail and there was no reason why he could not.
Madine, who used to earn £5,000 a week, was also told that he would have to pay £1,500 in compensation to Mr Beresford and £4,200 court costs.
Ms Dorrell believed this would be difficult for the defendant, who has not been paid by the club since he was convicted last month.
She said was he struggling to pay a mortgage on the house where his family lived.
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