A rugby player from Wales whose jaw was broken when he was punched by an opponent has been awarded £1,500 in compensation.

Richard Mark Williams was playing in a Swalec Cup game when the incident occurred. He was kicking the ball downfield and an opponent, Samual Pailor, tried and failed to charge down the kick. Mr Pailor then grabbed Mr Williams’s shirt and there followed a ‘trivial exchange of words’ between the two players.

Suddenly, Mr Pailor punched Mr Williams in the face with such force that he had to be taken to hospital, where he was treated for a displaced fracture to the left side of his jaw. The injury left Mr Williams with a slight overbite which required orthodontic treatment.

In court, Mr Pailor pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm and was sentenced to 200 hours of community service. He was also ordered to pay Mr Williams £1,500 in compensation. Recorder Paul Lewis QC told Mr Pailor, “You should know that violence on the rugby field is no different from violence on the streets.”