Rugby star avoids jail after attack
A SUPER League rugby star caught on camera (see here) in a sickening street attack walked free from court yesterday.
Hull KR full-back Ben Cockayne and Castleford Tigers' reserve player Steven Hayward punched and kicked Kiel Thompson following a pub dispute in Normanton.
Both players, from Altofts, spent three nights in custody this week after a judge twice watched "graphic" and "appalling" footage of their late night assault in Market Street on November 10, 2007.
Cockayne, 25, and Hayward, 20, were both given suspended jail sentences after Judge Alistair McCallum spent two days considering their fate.
The judge said: "I rather hope and suspect I shall not see the two of you again. You have seen what it is like inside, it is the last place to go back to."
Leeds Crown Court earlier heard how trouble flared inside and outside a pub on November 10, 2007.
Mr Thompson, 21, was confronted by a group of men outside including an "aggressive-looking male" who he punched and knocked out in self-defence.
Hayward then chased and caught Mr Thompson, punching and kicking him while he was on the ground.
Cockayne and others joined in the assault.
The court heard Cockayne could be seen lifting the victim's head and aimed to kick it.
A short time later Cockayne returned to the victim and continued the assault.
Hayward, of George Street, Altofts and Cockayne, of Shaw Close, Altofts, both admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Matthew Harding, for Hayward, described his client's behaviour as a momentary loss of reason and said Hayward felt ashamed and disgusted after seeing the video.
Chris Dunn, for Cockayne, said his client was a rising star and it would be a devastating shame if his promising career was "snuffed out through 20 or 30 seconds of insanity".
The second assault happened after Cockayne heard someone asking if his friend, who had been pole-axed by Mr Thompson, was breathing.
Mr Dunn said Cockayne had made a connection between that phrase and the fact that he had spent time serving in Iraq.
Cockayne, who began his career with Normanton Knights, was jailed for 51 weeks but the sentence was suspended for two years.
He must do 240 hours of unpaid work.
Hayward was jailed for six months, suspended for two years and he must do 180 hours of unpaid work.
They must both pay 500 court cost and 250 compensation, each, to Mr Thompson.
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Wednesday 23 May 2012
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