A 17-year-old football player who struck an opponent on the field with a "coward" punch has been placed on a diversion after appearing in court.
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The teenager - who cannot be named for legal reasons - pleaded guilty to the assault, committed while he and the victim were playing in a North East under 18s competition in May.
As the ball went out for a throw in, a brawl started and the 17-year-old punched the victim in the side of the head while he was not watching.
The Children's Court on Tuesday heard the victim was concussed and taken to hospital for treatment on head injuries.
In a statement to the court, he said he would like to return to playing football, but is scared he could get assaulted again.
There was no video footage of the incident, but witnesses nearby gave statements of what they saw to police.
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The teenager was also suspended from playing football after appearing at the tribunal.
He wrote letters of apology to the victim, the boy's parents and the opposition club.
Magistrate David Faram said even on the football field, the assault was what has been described as a "coward punch".
"There's no justification for this," he said.
The teenager's lawyer asked the magistrate to place him on a diversion, allowing him to avoid a criminal record, because the assault was committed in the context of a football match.
Mr Faram agreed after reading a series of positive character references.
"You're a young man with a lot of talent I suspect, you're a young man with a lot to offer ... This is probably the dumbest thing you've ever done."
"You can ruin your reputation in an instant, but it can take years to get back."
The 17-year-old will have to donate $50 to charity as a condition of his diversion.
Mr Faram accepted he was remorseful and encouraged him to go back to playing football again.
"Play it properly and play it fairly," he said.