RFU Head of Discipline appeals against one of his own Panel's sentence decision !

[Simon Thomas]

A RUGBY Football Union panel will meet at the London Bloomsbury Holiday Inn hotel on September 24 to consider an appeal brought by the RFU against the ten year suspension imposed on Ruislip prop Barry Lockwood.

Lockwood pleaded guilty when he appeared before an RFU panel in June to acts contrary to good sportsmanship contrary to Law 10.4(m) by physically abusing a referee by punching him in the face during a second XV match against the Honourable Artillery Company last December.

He was suspended from playing until December 7 2023.

The appeal made by the RFU Head of Discipline Gerard McEvilly under RFU Regulation 19.12.3(c) is made on the grounds that the sentence was unduly lenient.

The appeal will be heard by a panel chaired by Sir James Dingemans.

 

[Daftmedic]

Re: RFU Head of Discipline appeals against on eof his own Panel's sentence decision !

A RUGBY Football Union panel will meet at the London Bloomsbury Holiday Inn hotel on September 24 to consider an appeal brought by the RFU against the ten year suspension imposed on Ruislip prop Barry Lockwood.

Lockwood pleaded guilty when he appeared before an RFU panel in June to acts contrary to good sportsmanship contrary to Law 10.4(m) by physically abusing a referee by punching him in the face during a second XV match against the Honourable Artillery Company last December.

He was suspended from playing until December 7 2023.

The appeal made by the RFU Head of Discipline Gerard McEvilly under RFU Regulation 19.12.3(c) is made on the grounds that the sentence was unduly lenient.

The appeal will be heard by a panel chaired by Sir James Dingemans QC

just helping

 

[Bunniksider]

Re: RFU Head of Discipline appeals against on eof his own Panel's sentence decision !

What is the motivation for appealing this sentance? The man is 48 and reports to be so remorseful that he has removed himself from the rugby community.

On a similar note I beleive that a Lancashire disciplinay panel "awarded" an 80 week ban for a case of striking a match official earlier this year. So 10 years seems plenty.

 

[Browner]

Re: RFU Head of Discipline appeals against on eof his own Panel's sentence decision !

What is the motivation for appealing this sentance? The man is 48 and reports to be so remorseful that he has removed himself from the rugby community.

Post event remorse has been known to be acted up, or fade.
Often we are seeing ' precedent' type cases referred to in other decisions ( Drawbridge ) was referred to in a recent case . The next case might be a 20yr old not a retirement approachee.

Perhaps, defence lawyers would use Lockwood as their negotiating ' from' position, and the RFU might want to avoid that??

Some might start looking towards liability/damages/culpability claims as this catalyst.

 

[OB..]

Re: RFU Head of Discipline appeals against on eof his own Panel's sentence decision !

When this happened locally, the player was given a sine die ban, but allowed to apply for re-instatemnt after 5 years. He did, and it was granted.

 

[menace]

Re: RFU Head of Discipline appeals against on eof his own Panel's sentence decision !

What is the motivation for appealing this sentance? The man is 48 and reports to be so remorseful that he has removed himself from the rugby community.

At a 'wild' guess...motivation that smacking the ref is simply not on...no matter how old you are or how remorseful you think you'll be.
Perhaps the 48 yo might miss a few years playing rugby....but meanwhile what has happened to the ref? He is probably lost to the game already!

A ref should be able to walk out there and not be concerned about having his head knocked off by a player. As far as I'm concerned, punch a ref in the face and you're gone for life.

 

[Browner]

A RUGBY Football Union panel will meet at the London Bloomsbury Holiday Inn hotel on September 24 to consider an appeal brought by the RFU against the ten year suspension imposed on Ruislip prop Barry Lockwood.

Lockwood pleaded guilty when he appeared before an RFU panel in June to acts contrary to good sportsmanship contrary to Law 10.4(m) by physically abusing a referee by punching him in the face during a second XV match against the Honourable Artillery Company last December.

He was suspended from playing until December 7 2023.

The appeal made by the RFU Head of Discipline Gerard McEvilly under RFU Regulation 19.12.3(c) is made on the grounds that the sentence was unduly lenient.

The appeal will be heard by a panel chaired by Sir James Dingemans.

Simon,
Ignoring the appeal for the moment, I do find myself thinking that merely classifying these type of assaults into
" acts contrary to good sportsmanship" dilutes the subject, as its lost/hidden among the miriad of other AC2GS committed season by season.

If RFU are serious about protecting their (sometimes volunteer) officials, then isn't a separate more visible, and more powerfully deterrent display platform publicity etc ..... required ?

Perhaps some of the millions earned from RWC 2015 could be earmarked ? .... I know its not your ownership, but I'm just saying

 

[Browner]

Re: RFU Head of Discipline appeals against on eof his own Panel's sentence decision !

When this happened locally, the player was given a sine die ban, but allowed to apply for re-instatemnt after 5 years. He did, and it was granted.

& the referee, continue or pack up?

 

[crossref]

in this current case I know the referee invovled - as no doubt do several others on the board - and he continues ..

Here's the RFU judgement
http://www.rfu.com/thegame/discipli...uly uploads/lockwoodruislipjudgmentjul14.ashx

And here's Roger's write up on the LSRFUR site
http://www.londonrugby.com/news.html

 

[TheBFG]

no excuse for striking a ref :nono: should never have done a half each (still no excuse though).

Question........ Player strikes a player and goes to prison for 6 months, player strikes a ref and gets a slap on the wrist and a fine :chin:

 

[Browner]

in this current case I know the referee invovled - as no doubt do several others on the board - and he continues ..

Here's the RFU judgement
http://www.rfu.com/thegame/discipli...uly uploads/lockwoodruislipjudgmentjul14.ashx

And here's Roger's write up on the LSRFUR site
http://www.londonrugby.com/news.html

Awful. and scarrng both physically and mentally. Done well to get back on that horse so quick.

I'm picturing those matches when refs are alone, without all the other refs and senior society people nearby. Bad image.......destroy...Gulp!

The main bit that I've taken from this is that at Grassroots level especially, there is no extra value in " calling the player over " ......

Then, If ' aggrieved' starts heading toward you, you gain reaction/avoidance time. Hopefully no-one ever experiences similar.

 

[colesy]

Re: RFU Head of Discipline appeals against on eof his own Panel's sentence decision !

On a similar note I beleive that a Lancashire disciplinay panel "awarded" an 80 week ban for a case of striking a match official earlier this year. So 10 years seems plenty.

I remember seeing this one when it first popped up on the north west leagues website and chatting about it at my club. We all said at first "that's a long time" but after thinking about it for no more than a few seconds, it sunk in that it was less than 2 years. The offence is listed as "striking a match referee". 2 years doesn't seem very long - and surprising because in my experience the Lancs CB is not a soft touch in these matters.

 

[chbg]

Isn't the point of an x week ban that it only includes in-season weeks? So 2 and a bit seasons. Still not very long.

 

[Simon Thomas]

Re: RFU Head of Discipline appeals against on eof his own Panel's sentence decision !

just helping

And do you know his Bench, Inn and Chambers ?

 

[OB..]

Re: RFU Head of Discipline appeals against on eof his own Panel's sentence decision !

& the referee, continue or pack up?

He continued. He was experienced, and realised it was a very unusual occurrence. He was not really injured.

 

[dave_clark]

dental work in the thousands sounds injured to me...

 

[Daftmedic]

Re: RFU Head of Discipline appeals against on eof his own Panel's sentence decision !

And do you know his Bench, Inn and Chambers ?

If you mean what part of Hogwarts he is in then yes I do.:horse:

 

[Rushforth]

dental work in the thousands sounds injured to me...

It was just under a thousand, but the work couldn't be done for 4 months because of the injury, is how I read it.

I do feel some pity for the player, and the reasoning does make some sense (reducing entry level from 20 to 10 years because of previous good behaviour and genuine remorse, for those that didn't read the whole decision), BUT:

Being banned from rugby is not the equivalent of a prison sentence. Convicted criminals sentenced to "life" should have, on an individual basis, at least the chance of parole after some period.

No such leniency should be offered to rugby players who physically assault referees. Obviously pushing is not assault, but this was not a push.

That said, in the case of a freak incident such as this, it would make sense to separate the playing of rugby and the enjoyment of it. Ban the perpetrator from playing for life (means life, no appeal). Touch-line ban for a five years, but consider a request for repeal after 2 years, just picking two round numbers.

And above all, respect to the referee concerned for not letting it get him down. I'd like to think I'd do the same thing, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be back the very next weekend with a painful jaw and missing tooth.

 

[crossref]

Life penalties are inappropriate, having some chance of redemption, however slim, is a precious thing.

 

[Simon Thomas]

Re: RFU Head of Discipline appeals against on eof his own Panel's sentence decision !

If you mean what part of Hogwarts he is in then yes I do.:horse:

Hardly - James took silk in 2002 from 3 Hare Court Inner Temple and in June 2013 was appointed a High Court Judge and assigned to Queen's Bench Division, getting the usual sword on his shoulder for that. Sports Law is one of his specialities and he has been involved in various reviews for the Rugby League and in 2011 carried out the FA's independent review into the World Cup Bid Allegations.