Former boxing world champion Joe Cordina has been cleared of assaulting a man he punched outside a petrol station. A district judge found Cordina, 34, not guilty of assault by beating against Jamie O'Brien, 33, following a trial at Cardiff Magistrates' Court.
The court heard Cordina had been filling up his Land Rover at Pentwyn service station in Cardiff in February when he noticed O'Brien staring at him. Believing O'Brien was a fan, Cordina approached him as he sat on the pavement near the station exit. Judge Charlotte Murphy described how O'Brien then "shoulder barged him to the chest and chin", in what she found was a "deliberate assault". She noted the attack had taken place just two weeks after Cordina had been told by police that there was a threat to his life.
In her ruling, the judge said she was satisfied that Cordina believed force was necessary to defend himself and that a single, measured punch was proportionate. She said it was easy to judge the response from CCTV in slow motion, but Cordina had only a split second to react. She also accepted that Cordina had repeatedly pushed O'Brien while on the floor to keep him away, rejecting any suggestion of retaliation.
O'Brien, from Pentwyn, had previously pleaded guilty to assault by beating. Police began investigating after footage circulated online. Cordina's lawyer, Nadeem Majid, said the verdict was a huge relief, adding that Cordina had always maintained his innocence and wanted to focus on his family and boxing.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing