Sunday League footballer jailed for leg-breaking tackle

A Sunday League footballer has been jailed for a year after he deliberately stamped on an opponent’s leg, breaking it in several places.

Nathaniel Kerr, 24, pleaded guilty to assault at Manchester Crown Court.

The 30-year-old victim, Stuart Parsons had reconstructive surgery on his ankle and spent weeks in hospital after the incident. Mr Parsons had been arguing with one of Kerr’s teammate before the attack took place, the court heard.

The violent tackle happened two minutes into the first game of the season between Emigration FC and AFC Gold Cup in the Stockport Sunday league. Mr Parsons said he had only touched the ball twice when Kerr lunged at him with both feet, dislocating his ankle and breaking it in two places. Kerr then shouted to a teammate: “I’ve done this ‘cos of you.”

"It was a long jump-type lunge," the victim told the BBC. "I got to the hospital and they X-rayed it but they had to sedate me twice to reset it. I was in hospital for two weeks."

A self-employed window cleaner before the injury, Mr Parsons said his business "went down the pan" as a result of his rehabilitation.

He spent six weeks on crutches, "had to learn to walk again," and "still can’t run on it or do any sport, a year on."

"You don’t expect to get out of bed on a Sunday morning and for that to happen,” he said. People have their own actions, minds and aggression. You are never going to stop it."