Exeter Chiefs Mitchell remanded in Australian Prison

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-23083167

A Wales rugby international has been remanded in custody for assaulting a man after going to Australia to watch the British and Irish Lions.

Craig Mitchell, 27, hit Cian Barry in a bar in Brisbane on Sunday after travelling to watch the Test series as a rugby fan.

At Brisbane Magistrates' Court, the Exeter Chiefs prop - and former Ospreys and Neath player - admitted aggravated assault occasioning bodily harm.

He is due in court again on Friday.

Magistrate Anne Thacker revoked bail because Mitchell said he was not certain how he could raise the money to pay compensation at short notice.

Mitchell has played 15 times for Wales, including against Japan on 15 June. He had missed Wales' first Test against Japan in Osaka due to an ankle injury.

He joined the Chiefs in 2011 on an initial two-year contract from the Ospreys.

Mitchell made his debut for the Ospreys as a teenager having represented Wales at junior levels. His first senior international game was against Canada on the summer tour of North America in May 2009.

He was again involved for Wales the following autumn, coming off the bench against Samoa. But with Adam Jones ahead of him in the Ospreys and Wales pecking order he made only one international appearance in 2010.

But prior to the 2011 Six Nations, Jones and fellow Lions prop Gethin Jenkins were injured and Mitchell took the starting No 3 jersey for matches against England and Scotland - helping them to lift the Six Nations trophy

What a fool. If he gets a jail term he'll have his contract rescinded and will then be left to crawl back to Wales and hope a region takes him on. I suppose the Dragons might luck out in that circumstance.

I can't imagine Rob Baxter is particularly enthused by his behavior and the way he is representing the Chiefs at the minute.

Well that's one side of the story. probably best to wait and see what happened first before making any judgement no?

What if the guy was swinging a broken bottle at his face?

aye, I think for now you may have been a bit ott there Sam till all the facts are known.


It should be noted though that he has admitted agravated assault which carries a maximum prison term of two years:

http://www.findlaw.com.au/articles/4801/aggravated-assault.aspx

True Tattie he did admit aggravated assault so you could be right and may well purely be self defence in which case I retract my post. Must carefully read the OP in future.

Doesn't look too good according this from The Australian

Moorsman wrote:Doesn't look too good according this from The Australian

"Mitchell was due to fly home to Wales on Friday but Ms Thacker has indicated she wants any fines or compensation paid before the men leave the country."

Looks like he will be slapped with a heavy fine, nothing more serious.

Silly boy, won't do his Welsh chances much good.

Oh this is terrible, I really think Exeter Chiefs should release him from his contract for such terrible behaviour (then he can come to the Scarlet's ).

The first part of your wish may happen. Rob Baxter takes a very strong line.

Just goes to show that the trick of taking a holiday to Oz to make yourself convenient for a Lions call up doesn't always have a fairy tale ending!

He was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, fined £1,180 over the attack and also ordered to pay £1,966 in compensation to lawyer Cian Barry.

http://www1.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12507/8796164/Wales-prop-Craig-Mitchell-receives-six-month-suspended-sentence-for-Brisbane-pub-brawl

Griff wrote:Just goes to show that the trick of taking a holiday to Oz to make yourself convenient for a Lions call up doesn't always have a fairy tale ending!

Exactly, Tom Court gets the call up, Mitchell gets the wrong sort of call up!

wales606 wrote:

Moorsman wrote:Doesn't look too good according this from The Australian

"Mitchell was due to fly home to Wales on Friday but Ms Thacker has indicated she wants any fines or compensation paid before the men leave the country."

Looks like he will be slapped with a heavy fine, nothing more serious.

Silly boy, won't do his Welsh chances much good.

I read that as Mrs Thatcher.

pioden gorllewin wrote:He was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, fined £1,180 over the attack and also ordered to pay £1,966 in compensation to lawyer Cian Barry.

http://www1.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12507/8796164/Wales-prop-Craig-Mitchell-receives-six-month-suspended-sentence-for-Brisbane-pub-brawl

Does that mean if he swings one on the feild he technically can be banged up for 6 months?

thought it would only apply for Australia (offences committed in oz)

looks like Mitchell won't get a warm welcome home:

Wales prop Craig Mitchell is to face disciplinary action from his club Exeter after he was found guilty of punching a man in an Australian hotel bar while celebrating last week's British and Irish Lions win.

The 27-year-old was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, fined £1,180 and ordered to pay £1,966 in compensation to lawyer Cian Barry.

"Exeter Rugby Club deeply regrets that one of its employees has faced court action in relation to their personal behaviour," said the statement. ""The club does not condone law breaking of any kind and will continue to stress with all of its employees the importance of acting as positive ambassadors - even in difficult and unwanted circumstances."

I see his future being at the Dragons .

pioden gorllewin wrote:thought it would only apply for Australia (offences committed in oz)

So make sure he is left out of any side touring Aus in the next few years (Not sure if we are or not, and can't be balls looking it up).

I hope that Exeter have just made that statement to let the public know they are not happy, and that they don't take any futher action.  Not condoning it, but there have been numerous players who have been in the poop legally that kept their jobs else where and it would be a shame for Mitchell to wind up having to find a club short notice, as it would almost be a double punishment, and he would probably be offered a lower paying contract, not because he is naught, but because he is desperate.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

pioden gorllewin wrote:thought it would only apply for Australia (offences committed in oz)

So make sure he is left out of any side touring Aus in the next few years (Not sure if we are or not, and can't be balls looking it up).

I hope that Exeter have just made that statement to let the public know they are not happy, and that they don't take any futher action.  Not condoning it, but there have been numerous players who have been in the poop legally that kept their jobs else where and it would be a shame for Mitchell to wind up having to find a club short notice, as it would almost be a double punishment, and he would probably be offered a lower paying contract, not because he is naught, but because he is desperate.

But not Exeter players, Spidey - going on past precedent (Nemani Nadolo), this could go badly for Mitch when he gets back to SP

Chiefs pride themselves on the community / family-friendly aspect, don't they Asbo? That could make matters worse for Mitchell.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:Chiefs pride themselves on the community / family-friendly aspect, don't they Asbo? That could make matters worse for Mitchell.

Yep

ASBO - fair enough I guess, if the well behaved and respectful ethos is that deeply engrained in Cheifs cuture etc, then Mitchell have been aware of it, and I guess fully aware of what his actions could lead to, and can't blame the club for sticking to it's principles. Still have to feel for the bloke.

We don't know the ins and outs of the incident, do we? The bloke says he was intervening in an argument - could he have walked into a punch meant for someone else? Or what if he was the most annoying, self-important peacemaker on earth?

I'm not condoning what Craig did, but if he was the short-tempered type, you'd think he'd have previous, which he doesn't as far as I'm aware.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:ASBO - fair enough I guess, if the well behaved and respectful ethos is that deeply engrained in Chiefs culture etc, then Mitchell have been aware of it, and I guess fully aware of what his actions could lead to, and can't blame the club for sticking to it's principles.  Still have to feel for the bloke.

Indeed, but let's wait to see what happens

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:We don't know the ins and outs of the incident, do we? The bloke says he was intervening in an argument - could he have walked into a punch meant for someone else? Or what if he was the most annoying, self-important peacemaker on earth?

I'm not condoning what Craig did, but if he was the short-tempered type, you'd think he'd have previous, which he doesn't as far as I'm aware.

True that, Lucky, there are plenty of other punchier types out there from what I can tell, and he has seemed a very amiable type whenever I've met him

If I was Mitchell potentially needing a new club quick wouldn't worry me. The rollicking likely to be received when Baxter got hold of me would a much greater concern.

From the offy site:

Exeter Rugby Club have conducted an internal disciplinary hearing with Craig Mitchell following his arrest and conviction in Australia last week.

Following the hearing, the club can now issue the following statement:

“Exeter Rugby Club Chief Executive Tony Rowe OBE, together with Head Coach Rob Baxter, have today reviewed closely CCTV footage and discussed in depth the incident involving first-team squad member Craig Mitchell.

“Following this review process, the club have found Craig Mitchell guilty of bringing not only the club, but also the game of Rugby Union, into disrepute. The club feel the six-month suspended sentence, together with the fine imposed on the player by the Australian authorities, is sufficient punishment.

“However, Craig Mitchell has been given a written warning by the club that should he transgress in a similar way over the next six months, then his contract with Exeter Rugby Club could be terminated at the club’s digression.

“The club once again re-iterates its previous stance that it does not condone law breaking of any kind and will continue to stress with all of its employees the importance of acting as positive ambassadors – even in difficult and unwanted circumstances.”

Craig Mitchell wishes to express his remorse not only to the victim and those involved in the incident, but also to Exeter Rugby Club, the Welsh Rugby Union and his family.

Phew. I miss read the bit saying "the club have found Craig Mitchell guilty of bringing not only the club, but also the game of Rugby Union, into disrepute. The club feel the six-month suspended sentence" as he was being dropped for 6 months, until I re-read it properly.

Hehe, yeah that would have been a big news item there Spider. Exeter taking a hard line there which isn't really a surprise. Bet that was an uncomfortable meeting with Baxter and the board, I would not have liked to been in his shoes.

"At the clubs digression.." FFS what does it take for people to proof read the press releases!!!!