The rugby league future of Canberra star Jack Wighton could be decided on Wednesday when he is sentenced for his drunken rampage earlier this year. In June, Wighton pleaded guilty to two charges of assault occasioning bodily harm, three counts of common assault, and one charge of public urination. After viewing CCTV footage, the NRL overruled the Raiders' initial proposed suspension of six NRL games and banned Wighton for ten matches. He was also fined $30,000 in a decision that infuriated club officials, who unsuccessfully sought a reduction in the penalty in August.
Now Wighton's fate hangs in the balance, with footage of his February assaults in Canberra also set to be made public despite attempts by his lawyers to suppress the vision last month. The footage reportedly shows the 25-year-old headbutting a man, punching another, and attacking a further three men ten minutes later. The maximum penalty for assault occasioning actual bodily harm is five years in jail, while common assault also carries a possible two years behind bars. A jail sentence for Wighton would further cruel a Raiders side that has already lost star winger Jordan Rapana for six months after suffering a shoulder injury playing for New Zealand.
No comments:
Post a Comment