McHugh’s attacker guilty of assault

PIETER Van ZYL, the spectator who attacked referee Dave McHugh during the Tri Nations match between South Africa and New Zealand last month, was found guilty of assault in a Durban magistrate’s court yesterday.

Sentencing was postponed to October 28 after court officials struggled to establish whether Potchefstroom businessman Van Zyl, 43, had previous criminal convictions. Van Zyl’s lawyer, Bertie Grobbelaar, told the court his client did not have a criminal record.

“We’re a little bit downhearted that it didn’t end today, but I’ll travel down 20 times if necessary just to see justice done,” Van Zyl said.