Football manager sucker-punched linesman when his team were losing 8-0

A former football manager who punched a linesman while his team were losing 8-0 has been spared jail after sucker-punching a linesman.

Robert Williams-Jones had been managing his side, Amlwch Town FC, against Penrhyndeudraeth FC when the incident occurred last year.

In a video shared on social media, with Amlwch Town 8-0 down, Williams-Jones can be seen punching the linesman to the ground by halfway line.

Soon after the almost knockout blow, the opposition’s coaches sprint to the linesman’s aid, who was a member of the visiting Penrhyndeudraeth FC.

The attack took place during the North Wales Coast West Premier League match on April 27th last year.

Williams-Jones, of Eilian, Llaneilian, pleaded guilty to occasioning actual bodily harm.

He was this week sentenced at Caernarfon Magistrates’ Court to 24 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months.

Williams-Jones was too ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and pay £1,000 in compensation.

Amlwch Town FC confirmed that they cut ties with the manager shortly after the incident.

The club also issued an apology to both Penrhyndeudraeth and the linesman.

The club’s statement read: ‘As a club we have been truly saddened by the events on the weekend.’

North Wales Police previously said: ‘We were called shortly after 4pm on Saturday April 27th to report an assault during a football match in Amlwch.’

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