Lifetime ban for boxer who knocked teen out with single punch, inflicting serious injuries

The court heard the 17-year-old – who can't be named for legal reasons – went on a night out with a group of friends on Saturday June 24 last year in Stourbridge. They then got a taxi to Wall Heath for a last drink and approached the Prince Albert Hotel in High Street.

Lal Amarasinghe, prosecuting, told the court that although the venue appeared to be shut, they saw people inside and in the beer garden and, after failing to get a drink, exchanged hostile words with Ball's group, including telling them to go away. They then walked away from the pub after they felt they had been sent on 'a wild goose chase'.

He said: "The teenager's group was followed and a glass thrown which smashed behind them before Ball's brother Josh shouted at them not to speak to him and his friends in that way and witnesses said they saw people 'being aggressive' and 'in the victim's face.'

"Although Daniel Ball did not appear to be the aggressor, he eventually delivered a punch to the victim, knocking him out immediately and causing his nose to bleed.

"Members of the group who were friends of the victim shouted to call the police and witnesses said they were threatened by members of Ball's group of the consequences if this happened, though again there is no suggestion that the defendant was part of this.

"In fact Ball immediately went to help his victim, putting him in the recovery position and immediately showed remorse and shock, rather than continuing the incident – his group eventually left by taxi and he was arrested a few days later by police.

"The victim suffered a fractured jaw, a bleed on the brain, damage to his eye socket and swelling to the neck as well as other less serious injuries and was in hospital for three days."

A victim impact statement read out in court said the night had changed his life massively, including contributing to him failing his first year of music college where he was studying towards a grade eight qualification in guitar.

It said: "I suffer regularly from headaches, tiredness where I can't get out of bed, nausea, and have had trouble chewing food since with the braces and dental work which had to be carried out. I don't feel like going out at all now and to sum up the last year has been a real nightmare."

Ball had won 14 of his 17 bouts since becoming a professional boxer with one draw, but the court heard the British Boxing Board of Control had suspended his licence after he was charged and a criminal conviction meant he would now never get it back.

David Mason KC. defending Ball, said: "He realises the consequences of his actions but his act was of a spontaneous, impulsive nature and he was defending his brother who has already taken full responsibility for getting the group involved in what was a row between two groups of men on a night out.

"That is not to downplay the offence, he is a trained professional boxer and should have known the danger of hitting someone who clearly isn't – whilst the injuries suffered by the victims were clearly very serious they were not catastrophic."

He said Ball was a father of two with a youngster only two months old and was now employed in a regular job outside of boxing job as he realised he would not box again.

The court heard ball had recently sold his car for around £5,000 in order to pay compensation to his victim, who he felt deserved the money

Recorder James Davies said he had already received significant punishment with the ending of his boxing career and accepted the offence was clearly out of character but said it was so serious, that a jail sentence without suspension had only narrowly been avoided.

For the section 20 offence, Ball, of Smalman Close Wordsley was given a two-year suspended sentence and ordered to carry out 210 hours of unpaid community work, and 30 rehabilitation days. He was ordered to pay £5,000 compensation and costs of £150.