Breaking man's jaw lands player in jail (From Barry And District News)

Breaking man's jaw lands player in jail

A DINAS POWYS footballer was jailed this week for breaking an opponent's jaw in a 'friendly' match.

Jason Cowan, 22, a semi professional player with Welsh League One side punched defender Rowan Gregory during a friendly game between office workers at the Legal and General and the Principality.

Mortgage consultant Mr Gregory, 25, needed surgery to rebuild his jaw using titanium plates.

The match was abandoned after a penalty area bust-up in the second-half.

Cowan, a postman, was playing up front for Legal and General after being asked to take part by a friend.

Cardiff Crown Court heard the game was just 'a bit of a run around' until violence flared during a free kick.

Mr Gregory said: "As the ball came in we started jostling for it, our arms going across one other.

"He was taller than me so I felt intimidated - I could see from his face and eyes he was angry.

"I was stepping back and my hands went to my face - I said: 'Easy, mate, it's only a friendly'.

"Then I felt a blow to the right side of my face - I remember feeling excruciating pain.

"I didn't know I had broken my jaw, I was so dazed I just fell to the floor." Mr Gregory was off work for a month after the game, and has not played football since the incident in November last year.

A jury found Cowan, of Whitchurch, Cardiff, guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Matthew Cobbe, defending, said: "Although labelled 'a friendly' these were two evenly-matched teams playing a competitive game.

"It was in these perceived pressured circumstances Cowan reacted in an unacceptable and petulant way."

Judge Christopher Llewellyn-Jones QC jailed Cowan for eight months. He told him: "You were probably one of the best players on the pitch.

"You were perhaps becoming a little frustrated by Mr Gregory who was not nearly as good as you and was probably using all the tactics he could to try and stop you scoring.

"Football is a game and the sort of behaviour you showed cannot be tolerated.