Preston boxer Scott Fitzgerald jailed after using trained fist as a weapon when he broke a man’s jaw outside city pub

Former boxing champion Scott Fitzgerald has been sentenced to 46 weeks custody after he broke a man’s jaw outside a pub in Preston.

Leevi Francis was floored by a single blow from the 2014 Commonwealth gold medalist, when he stepped into an altercation outside the Grand Junction in Ashton-on-Ribble. Paul Brookwell, prosecuting, told Preston Crown Court Fitzgerald was known as a difficult customer at the pub in Watery Lane.

Landlady Kirsty Allen said she had refused to serve him on many occasions due to his aggressive behaviour.

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On November 27, 2022, CCTV showed Fitzgerald ‘bouncing around the pub’, under the influence of drink and drugs. When he stamped his foot hard, close to the pool table, Ms Allen threw him out and locked the door.

Outside the pub, Fitzgerald kicked at the door and shouted aggressively. He was seen to throw a blow towards another man, and Mr Francis went outside to intervene. As Fitzgerald walked away, Mr Francis walked towards him.

The boxer punched him to the ground, where he lay unconscious for around a minute. Customers from the pub took him back inside and he was taken to Royal Preston Hospital.

Mr Francis suffered a broken jaw and a cut below his eyebrow. In a victim impact statement he said he had to have surgery to insert a plate into his jaw which causes him pain that wakes him at night. Following the operation he was unable to eat solid food and lost two stone in weight.

He now has a scar on his eye which people comment on and suffers bad dreams where he sees Fitzgerald’s face. He has also suffered socially and feels anxious about his own son’s boxing hobby.

The day after the attack, Fitzgerald was arrested at his home in Drakes Croft, Ashton-on-Ribble. He claimed he was acting in self defence but pleaded guilty to GBH on the first day of his trial. Defending, Ayaz Qazi said Fitzgerald achieved a gold medal for his country in 2014 and had a successful career as a professional boxer. He is unbeaten in 15 professional fights.

“With the prospect of a glittering career ahead, why has violence travelled with him to the public domain?”, he said. Answering his own question, Mr Qazi said drink and drugs were at the root of the offending – and the pandemic had exacerbated his client’s issues.

Since the attack, Fitzgerald has been remanded in custody and is now clean of substances, Mr Qazi said. He added: “He is utterly aghast and ashamed of the way he was behaving, this loutish and disorderly behaviour in public.”

He said Fitzgerald is now banned from professional boxing and following his sentence, the real test will be whether he can regain his professional standing in the sport. Sentencing, Judge Richard Archer said for a man with Fitzgerald’s training, a blow with his fist was equivalent to the use of a weapon.

He said: “You know, as somebody who is supposed to be trained to control aggression and channel it for the purposes of professional sport, that when to behave that way – even by your own admission under the influence of drink and drugs – is entirely unacceptable. You risk very serious consequences for your victim.

“A professional boxer who under the influence is unable to charge the power in those fists could all so easily have rendered a man not just unconscious, but dead. It is fortunate you are not facing a much more serious charge. There are many people who face those charges based on a single blow.

“As it stands, fortunately for your victim and fortunately for you, the offence you are facing is far less serious but nonetheless a troubling one. It has already had professional and personal consequences for you and professional and personal consequences for Mr Francis.”

The judge handed down a sentence of 46 weeks, however the time Fitzgerald has spent on remand will count towards his sentence, meaning he may be released in the near future. Judge Archer said: “You would be wise to consider how you spend your free time – particularly when under the influence of alcohol and drugs and particularly as you value the opportunity of regaining your professional career. You may consider whether it is wise to visit the public house, or any public house, when you are displaying the way you were that evening.”

The prosecution formally offered no evidence on further charges of common assault and affray and the charges were formally dropped.

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