A FOOTBALLER from Barnsley is believed to be the first player in England to be jailed for an offence committed on the pitch.
Former Barnsley FC school of excellence player James Cotterill, 24, was defending for Conference side Barrow AFC in a first round FA Cup tie when he punched Bristol Rovers striker Sean Rigg, breaking his jaw.
He was jailed for four months by judge Robert Brown after pleading guilty to grievous bodily harm at Preston Crown Court yesterday.
The court heard that father-of-one Cotterill, who lives in Spring Street with his girlriend, had punched Mr Rigg in the face - breaking his jaw in two places. The striker needed metal plates to be permanently inserted into his face following the off-the ball incident, which was seen by millions of Match of the Day viewers in November.
Football Association spokesman Andrin Cooper said to his knowledge it was the first time a footballer had received a prison sentence for an incident on the field.
He would not be drawn on whether or not the FA agreed with the judgement. Defence barrister Nick Kennedy told the court that Cotterill was ashamed of his act of ‘total folly’ and urged judge Brown to be lenient as the defendant had no previous convictions.
Judge Brown said the usual punishment for such a crime would be eight months, but he passed a lesser sentence because of Cotterill’s good character. No-one was at Cotterill’s terraced home yesterday afternoon and neighbours refused to comment on the controversial ruling.
Cotterill started his football career at Oakwell aged 12, staying for five years before joining Scunthorpe United as a youth player.
Last month the FA banned him from playing until March and he quit Barrow because he did not want adverse publicity surrounding the incident to affect the club. But the Barrow bosses are standing by him, after sentencing manager Phil Wilson said his former player was being made a scapegoat.
Cotterill’s solicitor Julie Clarke said there would be an appeal against his sentence.
•Full story in this week's Chronicle
