Police defend decision not to prosecute man who attacked football manager

10:58am Tuesday 25th September 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Ben Endley, Senior reporter

Dean Kingshott was attacked after dropping a player Dean Kingshott was attacked after dropping a player

Police have defended the decision not to prosecute a father for attacking the football manager who dropped his son from an Abbots Langley team.

Dean Kingshott, 39, was punched, head-butted and beaten with a corner flag in an incident at Evergreen Football Club on South Way on Saturday September 15.

His attacker, a 40-year-old man from Abbots Langley, left the scene but was arrested on Tuesday (September 18) and issued with a police caution for assault and causing ABH.

Mr Kingshott, a former Watford, Spurs and Barnet youth team player of Watford Fields branded the punishment ‘ridiculous’.

Commenters on the Watford Observer website agreed with his sentiments with dozens questioning why no further action was taken.

A Hertfordshire Constabulary spokesman said: "The decision to give a caution is not taken lightly and many factors have to be taken into account in the process, such as the nature of the offence, the offender’s previous convictions and their admission to the offence.

"In this case the use of a caution was considered to be the most appropriate resolution.

"He fully admitted the offence, was sorry for his behaviour and is of previous good character.

"However, the offender was officially warned about his behaviour and the caution will remain on his police record and will influence any future police decision to prosecute or not, should that person come to the notice of the police again."

Comments(20)

garston tony says...
11:14am Tue 25 Sep 12

Whilst the police took the course of action they felt most appropriate shouldnt the victim have been consulted on the matter? It appears that Mr Kingshott is also unhappy with just a caution being the outcome.

Its probably right that had a charge been made the outcome would have been a relative slap on the wrist by the court so in that sense the police has probably saved a lot of expense and time al round but if this decision had been made with Mr Kingshott there possibly would not have been the same 'outcry'.

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The Rover says...
11:50am Tue 25 Sep 12

So he got away with it.

By not prosecuting the police are saying his behaviour is acceptable.

If things do not change I just wonder how long it will be before people take the law into their own hands. An eye for an eye etc.

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thomas.howard says...
12:03pm Tue 25 Sep 12

Why is his attacker not being named and shamed? His son isn't a child

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The Rover says...
12:07pm Tue 25 Sep 12

thomas.howard wrote:
Why is his attacker not being named and shamed? His son isn't a child
Absolutely. Even if not publicly named and shamed his details should be provided to other clubs so they do not inherit this scum.

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mc77 says...
12:20pm Tue 25 Sep 12

And I presume that with this caution he will be presented with the bill from the NHS for treating his victim??

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Hornets number 12 fan says...
12:23pm Tue 25 Sep 12

This sends out completely the wrong message to the thugs of this world who think they can be violent and nothing will happen to them! Well they're right!

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Hornets number 12 fan says...
12:25pm Tue 25 Sep 12

He should at the VERY least have been forced to compensate his victim for the assault I think in return for his Caution

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Reg Edit says...
12:26pm Tue 25 Sep 12

The Rover wrote:
thomas.howard wrote:
Why is his attacker not being named and shamed? His son isn't a child
Absolutely. Even if not publicly named and shamed his details should be provided to other clubs so they do not inherit this scum.
I hope we share a sense of right and wrong and a belief that the innocent should not be persecuted.

The father did wrong although he has escaped punishment. That is the fault, if there is any fault involved, of our legal system.

The son is not guilty of anything, therefore naming and shaming him is completely inappropriate.

I hope that explains why the boy and his family, quite rightly, have not been named and shamed.

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comments says...
12:28pm Tue 25 Sep 12

This is absolute and utter b*ll*cks!
No wonder people hate the police!

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pepsiman says...
12:48pm Tue 25 Sep 12

The police should be prosecuted for not prosecuting

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The Rover says...
2:25pm Tue 25 Sep 12

Reg Edit wrote:
The Rover wrote:
thomas.howard wrote:
Why is his attacker not being named and shamed? His son isn't a child
Absolutely. Even if not publicly named and shamed his details should be provided to other clubs so they do not inherit this scum.
I hope we share a sense of right and wrong and a belief that the innocent should not be persecuted.

The father did wrong although he has escaped punishment. That is the fault, if there is any fault involved, of our legal system.

The son is not guilty of anything, therefore naming and shaming him is completely inappropriate.

I hope that explains why the boy and his family, quite rightly, have not been named and shamed.
Reg,

I agree that the son is going to end up being the 2nd unfortunate victim in this. However, I would hate to see another football team having to put up with his father. He should be named so that even if the son wants to play football (which may not be the case), the father can be banned from attending. Maybe their names should not be made public, but other teams should be aware of who he is.

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Holly68 says...
2:27pm Tue 25 Sep 12

So this sets an example as the next parent to attack a manager for not picking their son can escape with a caution, AND anyone who attacks someone can also get a caution by citing they weren't picking for dancing team, darts team, rugby team, maybe Andy Carroll can attack Brendan Rodgers for not picking him and sending him out on loan ..... Where does it end !?!?!?

The bloke shouldbe been fined and community service minimum, cutting the grass at evergreen, putting the nets up, cleaning the boots, cleaning dressing rooms and toilets every Saturday and Sunday for at least a year .... He'd think twice again

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CGM123 says...
2:44pm Tue 25 Sep 12

Typical Herts Police, too busy hiding behind trees catching speeding motorists. I bet they would of got of their backsides if one of their officers was assaulted, on or off duty.

If it was one or two punches I could half understand it but he used a weapon!!! Thanks Herts Police... I feel so much safer now!

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LSC says...
3:16pm Tue 25 Sep 12

"The son is not guilty of anything, therefore naming and shaming him is completely inappropriate.

I hope that explains why the boy and his family, quite rightly, have not been named and shamed."

I disagree. It is another factor the father should have taken into account; that his family could potentially suffer for his actions as well as himself.

Most of us don't beat people up because it is not in our nature, but there are some who need a little more incentive, like fear of the law and the effect on their family. This man clearly had neither and was proved right.

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crazyfrog says...
4:26pm Tue 25 Sep 12

it may seem to the police like a minor incident but for Mr Kingshott this incident could stay with him for a long time, he should of been asked his thoughts before a caution was offered to the attacker.

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Reg Edit says...
5:24pm Tue 25 Sep 12

I must say if someone head-butted me and got off with a caution, I would think that the law was an **** and had let me down.

This case got publicity and showed the law to be an ****. It makes you wonder how many others get let off when the crime actually deserves a punishment.

Assault and ABH get's a caution. Really? Isn't it time the police, CPS and courts started taking crime seriously?

What do you have to do nowadays to get prosecuted and punished, apart from motoring offences?

Maybe this was an exceptional case and only a caution was warranted. Then again, maybe our legal system is broken.

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Honest Rog says...
11:01am Wed 26 Sep 12

Plod are just a bunch of lazy incompetent pension chasers. They've been politicised to protect landowners and the super rich whilst the rest of us go through life with our heads down. Disband them and replace with.....Over to you Reg.

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chaltons 12345 says...
3:00pm Wed 26 Sep 12

having only been at the club for just over 3 weeks this was the first of 2 incidents he was involed in. the boy has been at the club for over three years and this was the first time the father had been to the club

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chaltons 12345 says...
3:23pm Wed 26 Sep 12

i take it now any discipline the boy recived from his club can only be a caution so this boy may get back to playing football and not on the streets or taking drugs.

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HertsPeter says...
10:50am Thu 27 Sep 12

does this mean that Mr Kingshott can go around this fella's house, beat the living bejaysus out of him, and also escape with a caution?

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