A FORMER Welsh lightweight champion boxer who fractured a man’s jaw in two places during an argument at a five-a-side football match has avoided jail.

Craig Woodruff, 24, threw the punch when an argument broke out at Gol Football Centre on Nash Road in January.

The Newport boxer missed his intended target though, hitting a peacemaker who was trying to break up the squabble on the evening of Monday January 11.

At around 15 minutes into the game Woodruff, playing for Alway, and Darryl Mawle, for Grove, exchanged some words after a heavy tackle which led to a free kick.

The two men were involved in another shortly after before beginning to push and shove each other.

Another player, Mitchell Green, intervened to try and break the fight up.

But today, at Cardiff Crown Court, a judge heard how Woodruff, of Lliswerry Park Drive, raised his left arm and clenched his fist before swinging and unintentionally hitting victim Mr Green, knocking him to the ground.

The game was abandoned as Mr Green lay on the floor with blood coming from his mouth.

Prosecutor Ieuan Bennett told the court Mr Green was taken to the Royal Gwent Hospital with a double fractured jaw and a deep cut inside of his mouth.

He stayed in hospital for two days and underwent surgery to insert two plates into his jaw, and have stitches. He was unable to eat solid foods for six weeks as result, the court was also told.

Woodruff, who last fought in 2014, appeared in court to be sentenced, after pleading guilty to one count of causing grievous bodily harm earlier this year.

He was sentenced to 45 weeks in prison, suspended for two years. Judge Christopher Vosper told him he must carry out 70 hours of unpaid work and pay £2,500 compensation to the victim Mr Green, in £50 weekly instalments.

Heath Edwards, the barrister defending Woodruff, said he now works night shifts in Wilkinson’s and cares for his two-year-old son most afternoons.

The court heard how immediately after fracturing Mr Green’s jaw, Woodruff - who won the Welsh lightweight title by beating Tony Pace in February 2013 - apologised. His boxing career was not mentioned during the court proceedings.

Mr Edwards said: “There was an element of provocation, not by the victim of course but on the evidence of the referee it was clear it was someone one else throwing the punches.

“At the time there and then this defendant expressed his apologies, he deeply regretted causing any harm which he didn’t mean to do to Mitchell Green.

“This was a single blow, an isolated incident.”

Describing the incident, Judge Vosper said: “The other player with who you were involved responded by throwing some punches in your direction but they didn’t really connect.

“You then took a fighting stance towards the player and punched him. The injured person, however, was not the other player but another man who came forward simple to act as peacemaker to break up the squabble."