A FOOTBALLER has a prison sentence hanging over his head after he ended a bad-tempered derby match by breaking an opponent’s jaw in two places.

The referee handed out four yellow cards and one red card in the match between South Milford third team and Sherburn White Rose at Low Street football ground on February 18, Rob Galley, prosecuting, told York Crown Court.

As the players left the pitch at full time, Sherburn player Mark James Butler, 28, punched South Milford player Glen Perry from behind, putting him in hospital with two fractures of the jaw. Perry had to have two metal plates inserting into his face and five months later, was still suffering headaches and other side effects.

Judge Roger Ibbotson told Butler: “I am told you have something of a supervisory role over the younger members of the team. You will be the first to appreciate the example you set on this day was utterly disgraceful.”

Butler, 28, of Oak Avenue, Garforth, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm and was given an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months on condition he does 200 hours’ unpaid work. He must also pay Mr Perry £1,500 compensation and £100 prosecution costs.

The court heard Mr Perry also suffered a black eye when he was elbowed by another player, not Butler, during the Selby and District League Division Two match and was among the players booked.

Butler's lawyer Richard Reed said he bitterly regretted his actions and Mr Perry’s injuries. He had acted because Mr Perry had wrongly accused a Sherburn player of spitting at him.

Mr Galley said at the end of the match, one man threw a ball at one of the managers before a general melee of pushing and shoving and Mr Perry believed he had been spat at by one of the opposing team.