Weird that this has happened.
I was chatting with a bloke today who was at the game. He's got a season ticket with the Sheffield Steelers and sounded like he knew his stuff regarding ice hockey.
He said it was a definite accident. The player was off balance due to a nudge from another player.
However, there must evidence for him to get arrested surely?
I really hope it's a freak accident as that's some grim shit if it was intended (his leg being up that high) to hurt or scare the opponent.
I've been out of the criminal game for 3 years now but for involuntary manslaughter my understanding is its an objective test whether the act presented risk of physical harm (so not serious harm even) rather than what was in the mind of the offender (in which case, a subjective test). The objective test is what a reasonable person would conclude.
Secondly there only has to be an intention as to the act. So here, the intention to kick the opponent.
Thus it may come down to whether there is sufficient evidence to determine if there was intent as to the act (actus reus) rather than an accident.
We are not privy to other evidence that may exist: has the player used this kick before? did anything happen between the players during the game or previous games? are we able to rule out the blades clashing such as to cause the leg to lift so highly?
When it happened I fully expected him to be interviewed, albeit on a voluntary basis under caution. His arrest is of note-perhaps it was needed so that officers could conduct section 18 searches? phones, other evidence?
Cheers, seems like a tough one to judge. Even on here there’s a split between those who think it was an accident and those who believe that it was intentional.
It’s noticeable that on the various threads on Twitter about it, the majority of people who’ve played the game seem to be in agreement that it was most likely a pure accident.
Whilst to most people who don’t know the game, and I include myself in that, it looks as clear as day like he’s lined him up, nipped behind the ref, and deliberately taken him out with a Kung Foo kick.
I haven't seen anyone here think it was intentional. Every single person seems to think he did not mean to kill another player
It did look like he jumped at him, karate style...
Having watched it a few times it does look like he left his foot hanging, probably didn't mean to kill him like
Charge the **** with murder, absolute shithouse
manslaughter is appropriate i think. Clear intent to cause serious harm
If that was a freak accident, then I'm Batman
Just watched it, no way is that an accident.. supposed to be playing ice hockey not fucking karate.
@Coatigan you obviously didn’t read too far back. Nobody is saying the outcome is intentional but the intent to cause harm.If you haven't watched it, go and do so, he meant the kick but not the outcome, unbalanced, my arse.
@Coatigan you obviously didn’t read too far back. Nobody is saying the outcome is intentional but the intent to cause harm.
I wasn’t even arguing the point that anybody had said he intended to kill him, just the intent to kick him, which would probably be enough for the manslaughter charge to stick. I honestly can’t decide one way or another tbh.I stand corrected. With a couple of those.
I contest many of them, which to me are not arguing he meant to actually kill another person, which is how I read your post.
But as I did say nobody, you are right one way or the other, as just one is enough to prove me wrong.