Pool cue-wielding dad battered children’ soccer coach after he had affair along with his spouse
An enraged father wielding pool cue admitted to attacking and knocking out a children’s football coach who had an affair with his wife while shouting: ‘You f****** p**** you ruined my life!’
Brandishing a pool cue as a weapon a dad attacked and knocked out a fellow children’s football coach who had an affair with his wife. A court heard Ian Smith, 43, attacked the football coach, Thomas Shewell, while screaming “you f****** p**** you ruined my life!”
Thomas Shewell was left unconscious after the assault and sustained serious facial injuries after the attack. On Thursday, March 13, Smith admitted to unlawful wounding at Birmingham Crown Court – however, was spared jail time. Prosecutor Philip Brunt described the brutal scene that occurred outside a social club car park on June 10, 2023.
The Prosecutor said: “Mr Shewell was out cold on the ground.” He added: “There was some suggestion he had a fit. The publican describes putting him into a recovery position. Police and ambulance arrived but Mr Smith had left the scene.”
The brutal attack happened after Mr Shewell had gone there to watch the Champions League final between Manchester City and Inter Milan, and met Mr Smith in the car park of a social club. After the incident Mr Shewell was taken to Heartlands Hospital. The man mainly suffered cuts and bruises and was expected to make a full recovery.
In a statement Shewell revealed the attack had left him ‘shaken’ and noted the incident had made him more apprehensive about going out to watch football with his mates, reports BirminghamLive.
Gurdeep Garcha KC, representing Smith, said: “The victim was a football coach. In 2017 and 2018 he and Mrs Smith embarked on a relationship which lasted several months.
“It was an illicit relationship. That affair was discovered and unsurprisingly caused massive upheaval in the defendant’s marriage and home life.
“They worked very hard to heal the hurt and repair the marriage. There was unresolved pain and anger at what had happened. Sadly on that day he lost his self control and lashed out. We don’t submit Mr Shewell deserved to be assaulted.”
Gurdeep Garcha stated the incident occurred in a ‘chance meeting’ and a cloud of red mist came down upon his client.
The judge noted the ‘vicious’ nature of the attack could warrant immediate imprisonment. However, he took into consideration Mr Smith’s lack of previous convictions alongside a low risk of reoffending.
Ultimately the judge concluded to suspend the sentence. Instead of facing time behind bars the father-of-three was given a suspended sentence of 16 months. He was ordered to carry out 24 days of rehabilitation activity. Alongside this Mr Smith was ordered to pay £1,000 of compensation to Mr Shewell.
