A Quebec court has convicted a teenaged hockey player of assault with a weapon after he cross-checked an opponent during a Quebec game last fall.
Youth court Judge Jacques A. Nadeau issued his decision on Friday. He rejected the teenager's claim that the attack was accidental, and called his actions unfair, excessive and dangerous.
The young player had been facing one count of assault causing bodily harm, and another count of assault with a weapon. He, and the league he played with, cannot be identified since he was 17 at the time.
The assault was captured on video by a spectator at the arena. In it, the victim falls to the ice after being struck by a cross-check to the face. He received stitches following the blow, to close several wounds.
At trial, the court heard that the instigating player had pushed the victim in the chest with his hockey stick several times before striking him in the face with it.
Nadeau said in his decision that criminal law applies to hockey arenas, and warned players that they must be aware of that.
CTV's legal analyst Steven Skurka said the ruling could have repercussions for future criminal cases involving violence in sports, particularly because the judge focused on the unprovoked nature of the altercation.
"It's really trying to set a trend. Young athletes, and indeed professional athletes, have to be put on notice," Skurka told 麻豆影视 Channel. "You can't just unilaterally attack another athlete on another team and expect to get away with it if they're injured."
"When you engage in a violent sport such as hockey ... you expect a certain amount of violence," he said. "But no one is consenting to an unprovoked attack."
The defence would like the convicted teen to receive only a reprimand. The Crown has asked for probation and a $1,000 fine.
He will be sentenced on Dec. 14.
