Blackburn man, 20, headbutted football boy (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Blackburn man, 20, headbutted football boy

9:00am Monday 8th February 2010 in

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A BOY of 14 was butted by a man who refused to return the football he and his friends were playing with.

Stuart Pearson, 20, of Fawcett Close, Blackburn, admitted assault and was sentenced to six weeks in a young offenders institute suspended for 18 months, and ordered to pay £250 compensation and £50 costs.

Scott Ainge, prosecuting, told Blackburn magistrates the boy and his friends were playing football when the ball went over the perimeter fence of the multi-use games area at St Wilfrid’s School. It landed near Pearson and another man and one took the ball and kicked it further away.

“One of the boys shouted ‘Merry Christmas’ in a sarcastic way and both men came on to the games area,” said Mr Ainge.

One of the victim’s female friends tried to get him to run away.

He realised one of the men was standing in close proximity to him.

Pearson then headbutted him in the face causing his nose and mouth to bleed.

Pearson admitted the assault but claimed the boys shouted abuse at him and his friend.

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said Pearson had been subjected to abuse which he would normally have ignored.

“It went way beyond saying Merry Christmas and there were insults shouted at him,” said Mr Taylor.

“He knows he shouldn’t have gone into the play area and he is full of remorse.”